


Senior Prom Night

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [1]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-08
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 20:16:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 43,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1035944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Senior prom night is something special to all girls. But Anne Neville vowed not to go due to her break up from Edward Lancaster, the prom king candidate. Surprisingly, her classmates nominated her as prom queen as well. So she had to go.</p><p>And then it was him, Richard York, her father's mentee.</p><p>Somehow, he became her boss. Then her attorney.</p><p>And he wanted her to take him as her prom date as payment for his legal service. What the heck?</p><p>Inspired by "The Frog Prince".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awkward Family Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is my new modern AU fic.
> 
> Hope you all like it.
> 
> Comments please!

Agenda, notebooks, folders, books.

Cell phone back on because it was now after school.

The meeting went well today, not bad for a first-meeting. It was true what they say that it’s great to be the president.

Not of the United States of course, but of the Prom Committee.

She was certainly not the first female president of that committee, or of any committee of the school. However, a sweet note, she was the first member of the Neville family who served as the president of a committee. That should’ve made her father proud.

Anne Neville’s father was veteran attorney of New York. A magna cum laude graduate of Cornell University and JD from Harvard law school, he was certainly an ambitious person. Maybe he reached too high, which explained why he never won any election since middle school. When Anne was elected as the new president of Prom Committee last summer, she was so ecstatic that she called her father almost ten times to let him know. But to her disappointment, the only response from him was, “Good enough on your college application resume.”

Well, honestly, Richard Neville was the last person who ever cared about a prom committee.

After she came home, her father Richard Neville called her into his office and gave her a stern lecture.

“So, you are elected president of your…prom committee, right?”

Anne nodded.

“Was it a landslide vote, or was it based on the recommendation of a faculty?”

Anne did not like that question.

“It was both,” she replied.

“Well then, congratulations. But keep in mind, it means big responsibility. You cannot screw this up; all the seniors in your class are counting on you.” Then he added, “This is also your very first management experience. Do not expect it to be nice and sweet.”

That was the end of it. How Anne hoped it was something nicer, like “I’m so proud of you” or “that’s my girl”.

She later told her mom and her sister Izzy. Both simply said “congratulations” and “nice”.

To be fair, her presidency election was hardly big news compared to her sister’s engagement. Izzy was engaged to a guy named George York, who was a business manager of his family’s law firm. Anne was not impressed. How difficult could it be to become manager in family business? One answer: nepotism!

And tonight, Izzy was to meet her future in-laws for the first time. Poor Izzy was nervous as hell. To make things easier for her, Richard Neville managed to have the two families go out to dine together. Anne tried to excuse herself from this dinner because she had too much to do. Yet, her father would not hear it. This is a family thing, he said. If you are a Neville, then you must be present. One Neville should never let another Neville down.

So after the meeting ended, Anne had to catch a bus to take her home to change. Then take the metro to meet her family and Izzy’s future in-laws for dinner.

Wrapping her scarf around her neck, she hoped that her coughs won’t return. Every time she exposed to cold air, she could not stop coughing or wheezing.

Every time she coughed, she’d notice that her ex-boyfriend Edward Lancaster was staring at her, not too far behind her.

They dated for about a year, started when she first experienced troubles with her lungs. It was comforting for Anne to know that someone cared other than her own family. And yet, overtime she found Edward’s care was strange and suffocating. Eventually, the relationship ended.

Apparently, Edward still had his fantasy and imagination. He remained besotted every time she coughed.

Now Anne found it scary.

So whenever she needed to cough, she tried to hold it down.

After got off the metro, she found her way to the restaurant. Checking her IPhone, she was late for nearly 30 minutes. Biting her lips, she entered the restaurant and gave the hostess her name. The hostess led her to the reserved table.

***

She found her family and some strangers sat around a long table with two more empty seats. Her mom and dad sat side by side. Izzy sat next to George, a charming and dashing young man with dirty blond hair. Next to George was his older brother, Ed York. He was tall, handsome and built. He had a wife, a beautiful blonde woman with icy blue eyes. George’s mother was also here. A middle-aged woman who was once very attractive; she was much friendlier than that beautiful woman with icy eyes.

“Anne, you’re late,” her father scolded. “Now what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Blame the public transportation,” Anne replied. “They are never on time.”

“Then you shouldn’t use public transportation,” Richard Neville commented.

“I wouldn’t have to if I still have my license,” Anne retorted.

Richard Neville laughed. He turned to Ed York and said, “My younger daughter Anne, who aimed to follow my footstep as a lawyer.”

“Oh really?” Ed said with a smile. “What kind of lawyer would you like to be?”

“A divorce lawyer,” Anne said.

“Interesting choice,” Ed said.

“So why you sister doesn’t have her license?” George asked Izzy.

“Oh it’s a long story,” Izzy said.

“Well, I’m interested, please tell,” George’s mother, Cecily said.

“It was a PTSA night, parent-teacher-student association,” Izzy told them. “Anne was driving back from school. She was waiting for all the cars to pass so she can leave the school’s parking lot. Well, cars kept on turning and turning and got in line before her. Impatient as ever, our Annie stepped on the gas pedal and cut the next driver off. That driver pulled in behind her and Annie saw from her view mirror that it was the school superintendant Margaret Anjou.”

Laughter and gasps were heard from the table.

“And then,” Izzy continued. “Annie, nervous as ever, kept paying attention from behind. And in result, she hit the person in front her. Her compact vehicle hit a SUV; her car’s front was damaged while the SUV only had a scratch. That SUV driver stepped out and turns out it was her high school Principal William Stanley.”

Everyone laughed and howled.

“The police were called,” Anne’s mother Ann Beauchamp added. “They gave her a ticket and took away her driver’s license. Annie insisted to fighting it in court. Her father offered to represent her, but Annie disagreed with his method.”

“So in turn she decided to take on the judge herself,” Richard Neville chimed in. “And lost.”

“So her driver’s license is suspended until she turns 21,” Izzy said.

“Which is probably for the best given her driving record,” Ann Beauchamp giggled. “Three tickets and two accidents.”

Blushed, Anne drank her water.

“So Anne, are you still in high school or college?” Cecily asked.

“High school, my senior year,” Anne answered.

“She was elected the president of prom committee,” Ann Beauchamp said.

“The very first president of our family,” Izzy smiled, turning to her fiancé George. “Now you will have a president as in-law.”

“High school prom,” Cecily closed her eyes and reminisced. “I remember when I met your father at my senior prom. He insisted to dance with me even after I said no. He took me home against my will—he carried me to his car. It still makes my heart skip a beat when I think about it.”

“Is he going to join us soon?” Anne asked.

“No, it’s a pity he died ten years ago,” Cecily said. “But his namesake will be here soon, I hope.”

“Don’t be hard on Richard,” Richard Neville said to Cecily. “He is working very hard, _my mentee_. I can tell you now Ed, your younger brother will make a very fine attorney.”

Anne wordlessly chewed her food.

Richard, Richard, Richard.

Her Dad talked about Richard constantly, as if he was a son he always wanted.

She looked at her sister’s future in-laws again. A handsome and warm brother-in-law, with a wife who looked like the White Witch in _The Chronicles of Narnia_. A mother-in-law who was so shallow-minded and very sheltered; and another brother-in-law who was a popular subject but never shown. She felt so sorry for her.

And she did not like George. Not a bit.

After giving Izzy a signal, she got up and went to the restroom. A few minutes later, Izzy joined her.

“So, what do think?” She asked Anne.

“Of what?”

“Of my future family,” Izzy said. “They are nice people, aren’t they?”

“Izzy, I am telling you now that you are making a mistake,” Anne said to her. “Don’t marry George!”

“Why?” Izzy asked in disbelief.

“Look at his family!” Anne said. “All of them are just so haughty and shallow-minded.”

“Anne, you only sat with them for like ten minutes!” Shaking her head, Izzy left the restroom. “Sometimes, you are just so judgmental.”

Anne followed her and grabbed her arm. “Izzy, listen to me before you need me to represent you in court in the near future.”

Just as she walked out of the restroom, a young man with dark curls and dark eyes stepped out from men’s room.

“Izzy, come to your senses. I don’t think you will fit in well with that York family. They are so haughty and…have no personality. I can’t imagine anyone can live with them. His brother is nice enough, but his wife looked like a witch who never speaks. I think she hates you already. And his mother, when’s the last time she left her house? Come on, I guarantee you the marriage will not work!”

“Annie,” Izzy let out a sigh. “I promise you if I do get divorced in the near future, you will be the first person I call. But as of today, I love George. I will marry him. Now, I know you are having a hard time after breaking up with Edward—“

“What does my breakup with Edward have anything to do with your marriage?”

“You are not thinking straight because of the impact from that breakup,” Izzy insisted. “And FYI, Mom would really like it if you get to know Richard.”

“Like that’s going to happen,” Anne rolled her eyes. “I promise you I will never marry that Richard even if he were the last man on earth.”

She turned and found that young man with dark curls standing before her, looking at her.

“Excuse me,” Anne said and walked passed him.

Returning to the table, she sat and had another slip of ice water. Then she heard someone pulled out the chair across from her and sat. She looked up and found that young man with dark curls sat before her.

“Oh Richard, finally you’re here,” George said. “Now we have everyone, the Nevilles and Yorks. Cheers!”

Everyone raised their glass.

Anne nervously chewed her lips.

“So Anne, tell me, who are you going to the senior prom with?” Ed’s wife, Liz, asked her, almost with a tone of hostility.

“Oh that,” Anne made a nervous laugh. “I am not going to the senior prom.”

“What?” Cecily asked, surprised. “How can you miss such an important event?”

“Well, in this day and age, prom is an optional event,” Anne said matter-of-factly. “I need to save some money for my college application and other things. I mean, senior prom, I don’t even know what the point is.”

With that said, she found Richard staring at her.

Her nervousness triggered her occasional recurring coughs. Covering her mouth with her napkin, she turned her head and coughed.

“Are you okay Annie?” Izzy asked, concerned.

“I…I’m fine,” Anne replied, taking a deep breath, only ended up wheezing.

“You remember your appointment tomorrow, Anne,” Ann Beauchamp said. “With Dr. Jasper Tudor.”

“No, I called and cancelled.”

“What?”

“Mom, you know that Dr. Jasper Tudor has absolutely no idea what he is talking about. And that nurse Margaret Beaufort keeps on saying that my coughs are the signs of sin. God, she reminds me of Carrie White’s mother. But she looks absolutely nothing like Julianne Moore.”

“Julianne Moore?” Cecily was bewildered. “I thought it was Sissy Specek.”

“Ugh, it is 2013 and there’s remake,” Anne commented.

“Anne, please,” Richard Neville said sternly. “Watch your manners.”

“I have an idea,” Ed spoke. “Why don’t you go see Dr. William Hastings? He is very skilled and experienced. He's a family friend.”

“I don’t know,” Anne said. _Nepotism again. Family friends are never reliable,_ she thought. Then her phone buzzed.

Anne checked her phone and said, “Uhmm, I hate to say this but something came up. I need to get going.”

Then she got up and walked out of the restaurant. Taking out her phone, she texted back: _I am fine. I don’t cough anymore. Leave me alone._

Just after she hit send, she felt the tightness in her chest becomes worsen. She started coughing again. She coughed so hard that she vision blurred and she felt dizzy. Raised her hand and waved, she called a taxi and went home.

It was going to be another long night.

Long lectures from Dad.


	2. And it all went down into a hole

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages of characters:
> 
> Anne Neville - 18, high school senior  
> Edward Lancaster - 18, high school senior  
> Richard York - 21, college senior  
> Izzy Neville - 24, college graduate  
> George York - 25, York law firm business manager  
> Ed York - 31, senior partner of his law firm  
> Liz Woodville York - 36, wife to Ed York

Anne sat grumpily in the car as her father drove.

“I can’t believe you uncancelled my appointment with these two nutcases,” Anne snorted. “You know it’s a waste of time.”

“First of all, it is not a waste of time. You are coughing and your mother and I are both worried. Second, Dr. Jasper Tudor is a renowned pulmonologist in this country. You should show some respect. And I don’t like how you judge his nurse.”

“She is not a nurse, Dad. She’s a medical assistant.”

“Either way, you should not behave so snobby towards them.”

“I’m the one who’s snobby?” Anne exclaimed in disbelief. “I’m not the one who blabbed about my accomplishments in research at Georgetown University or being valedictorian of Yale School of Medicine for like 30 minutes. I’m telling you the truth Dad, he paid no attention to my health and just basically picked a diagnosis or some alphabets. Last time he told us that I have lung cancer and need to have half of my lungs removed. Then two days before the surgery, he called in and said it was a misdiagnosis.”

“Then it’s a good thing that he caught that. Some doctors don’t even have the guts to admit their misdiagnosis,” Richard Neville told her. “I fought in court against doctors before. If I see a bad one, I would not send you to him.”

“Or her,” Anne added.

“You know, Annie, you need to fix your attitude and arrogance,” Richard Neville said solemnly. “You cannot put yourself above everyone else just because they are different.”

“Like when?”

“Like yesterday evening when we dined with the Yorks.”

Anne rolled her eyes. “Dad, you saw them. I feel bad for poor Izzy.”

“Isabel made her own choice, Annie, just like you will when your time comes. You know, last night is very important to her. It was the first time she met her in-laws. So far, I see them as nice people. Remember Anne, you never know who holds the last glass of water.”

Anne said nothing.

Soon, they pulled up to the parking lot of the Middleham Medical Center. Anne and Richard Neville walked into the building. As they sat in the lobby area, Anne took out her novel _Sunne in Splendour_ and started to read at page one. Not that she really liked the book, only that she used it as a meter to measure her wait time. The book itself was a doorstopper. Last time she was here, she was at page 200 when she was called in.

To her surprised, her wait time was extremely short this time.

“Anne Neville,” a thin woman with long face called her in. She dressed in a rather old fashion for a clinical staff.

“Hi Margaret,” Anne said meekly. Unexpectedly, her coughs returned.

Margaret shook her head. “Sins of mortal souls,” she muttered.

As she waited in the exam room, Margaret touched her forehead and then drew a cross. “Child, pray and practice meditation. Once your worries are gone, your coughs will diminish.”

Anne tried to stay as far away from her as possible. Seriously, she was the real-life Margaret White; only her last name was Beaufort.

Finally, someone knocked on the door and it was Dr. Jasper Tudor.

“Hello Annie, how are we today? Still coughing?”

“So, what do you think it is this time? Apparently, we ruled out lung cancer. So COPD? TB? ARDS? Bronchitis? CF? Or pneumonia?” Anne asked Dr. Tudor as if she was challenging him.

“I see you done your own research,” Dr. Tudor said. “I don’t think you have COPD since you are not a smoker. CF is ruled out as well since your nails don’t show it…Tell me, how long have the coughs been going on?”

“About two years ago,” Anne replied. “Shouldn’t it be recorded in my chart?”

“Well, I see…ever since when discarded paper chart and went electronic, information has always been lost. Margaret, did you update her vital signs and other info?”

“I did,” Margaret replied. “I wrote it down.”

“No, I mean in the computer!” Dr. Tudor retorted sharply. In response, Margaret went to the computer and started to enter the information; only caused one problem to another. Long story short, the two of them spent 45 minutes tried to figure out how to use electronic health records. Anne was left completely alone, sitting on the table.

Finally, after they stopped looking at the computer screen, Dr. Tudor checked his watch. “Oh my, I guess the time is up. I’ll tell you what Anne, we can reschedule today’s appointment for another time. I highly recommend you come in some times this week for some testing.”

“Sure,” Anne said.

Like she had any other choice.

***

“I told you Dad, it was a waste of time!” Anne complained.

“Anne, you are young and of course you are faster with computer and internet. Dr. Tudor is an older generation,” Richard Neville said.

“Dad, Jasper Tudor is 35,” Anne reminded him.

“Well, if you don’t like Dr. Tudor, then we can try Dr. Hastings.”

“That family friend of Ed York’s?”

“Anne, we’re your family and we want the best for you. Every time I take to you see a specialist, you complain endlessly.”

“Dad, you are not using my condition as an opportunity to strike some sort of family-business relation with the Yorks, are you?” Anne asked carefully.

“Why would you say that?” He frowned.

“Come on, Dad. There are so many specialists in this country. Why are we settled for either Dr. Tudor or Dr. Hastings?”

“Because I need someone to take you to see the specialist when your mother and I are not around,” he replied. “Since Dr. Hastings is a family friend of Yorks, I’m sure Ed or George has no problem taking you to see him. As for Dr. Tudor, Middleham Medical Center offers special service for individuals with disabilities and…without driver’s license.”

“When are you and Mom not around?” Anne asked laughingly.

“Oh I forgot to tell you. Your mother and I will be leaving this weekend for Philippines.”

“What?” Anne’s eyes widened. “For what?”

“For teaching, volunteering, research, all kinds of things,” Richard Neville replied. “We will be gone for six months.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I don’t want to distract you from your works. Besides, you are eighteen and an adult. I believe you can handle yourself, am I right?”

“Sure, of course. We are living in a safe suburban town not too far away from NYC. What can go wrong?”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“So, let’s settle for Dr. William Hastings then,” Anne said.

***

The Nevilles packed their luggage and their books; they departed that weekend to Philippines. Ann Beauchamp hugged her younger daughter and made her promise to keep in touch through emails. Richard Neville reminded her the ground rules: no alcohol and no party. They left her a good sum of money in her bank account for that she wouldn’t run into trouble if she needed money. If all else fails, Izzy and George were not too far away.

After her parents left, Anne spent the days as the usual. She didn’t tell anyone in school that her parents went to another country because she knew too well that it was an open opportunity for these party-goers. She took bus to school during day and came home to work on her assignments and college application essays. She did fine on her SATs so she didn’t need to worry about that.

Her best pal Veronica called and the two chatted about choices of majors and colleges. Veronica wanted to study French and teach in high school. Anne, of course, wanted to be a divorce lawyer so she considered a major in family study. The two chatted for almost an hour until Izzy called.

“Izzy what’s up?”

“We’re having a barbecue at Ed’s house. And you are invited.” Izzy sounded happy and excited.

“When?”

“This weekend.”

“Oh I don’t know Iz. I have three papers to write and a test coming up.”

“Annie, take a break,” Izzy said. “You need to learn to appreciate the invite. Cecily insisted that you should join us.”

“How am I going to get there?” Anne asked. “You know I can’t drive.”

“You dummy, George and I will come and get you.”

“Okay, oh by the way,” Anne thought of something. “Is it going to be at night or during day?”

“Annie, who in the world is having barbeques at night?”

“Oh, I just asked out of curiosity.”

“Oh Annie!”

Whenever she was out at night, her coughs became more serious. She really didn’t want anyone to notice.

***

When George and Izzy pulled up near Anne’s house, Anne was still working on her essay. She hardly heard the doorbell since she was listening to music. Finally, after her phone buzzed five times, she realized that someone was at the door.

“Izzy, sorry,” Anne said apologetically. “And hi George.”

“Come on, let’s go!”

“I thought you guys are coming about two hours later,” Anne said.

“Some changes,” Izzy told her. “And seriously, you need to relax and have some fun.”

“So, who’s going to be at the barbeque?” Anne asked.

“Ed, Liz, their kids; the three of us; Cecily; Dr. William Hastings; some other family friends; and Richard may be.” Then she turned to George, “Seriously, what is Richard doing all these times? Always late or absent?”

“He’s applying for law school and preparing for his LSAT,” George explained. “By the way Anne, I think you and Richard can work together with your applications. Both of you need to chill about it.”

“What school did you went to?” Anne asked.

“University of Phoenix.”

Anne just let it slide. She really did not want to say what’s honestly on her mind.

“Is Richard your full-blooded—“

“Yes he is,” George answered. “You are not the first person to ask that.”

“But I see no resemblance between him and you or Ed,” Anne said.

“I know,” George said. “We used to pick on him on that when we were kids.”

***

Finally, they arrived to Ed’s house. It was a huge mansion with a large swimming pool. A handful of people were already there. Before Anne followed them into the backyard, Izzy pulled her aside.

“Annie, dearest sister, please don’t say anything like you did that night. Remember, we are at Ed’s house, not in a random restaurant.”

“I promise I won’t say anything,” Anne said lamely.

“By the way, I think I spotted Richard,” Izzy said. “You have to say, he reminds me of Evan McGregor.”

“It’s pronounced ‘Ewe-uan’,” Anne corrected her. “Besides he is more like Orlando Bloom. And FYI, I’m not a fan.”

As the two talked, Cecily saw them from afar. She happily waved to them. “Come on you two. Come and eat!”

Izzy waved back and dragged Anne into the backyard.

“Oh, it’s great to see you again Anne,” Cecily gave her a kiss on the cheek.

As everyone sat and eat, Anne went to grab a burger and some salads. She found a middle-aged woman standing before her, meditating.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I need to grab some food.”

“Patience child,” she retorted. “Do not interrupt me.”

“Are you a witch or something?” Anne joked, tried to sound as friendly as possible.

“Yes, I am,” she replied. “I am a member of WICAA.” Then she turned and said, “I am Liz’s mother, Jacquetta.”

“Nice to meet you,” Anne said meekly. _Boy is this family getting weirder or what?_

Before she could turn away, Jacquetta grabbed her shoulder and said, “I see that your house is disappearing.”

That was awkward. Anne nodded and managed to say, “Thanks.” Then she quickly ran back to Izzy.

As she started to eat, she heard someone behind her saying, “Just the meat but no bread? And you are not using salad dressing?”

Anne turned and found Richard standing behind her.

“It’s a much healthier way to eat,” she replied. “So, uhm, Richard, I heard a lot about you from my Dad. And you are applying law school?”

“That’s correct,” Richard nodded. “And you? How’s your college application going?”

“It’s rolling,” Anne said.

“So Anne,” Cecily chimed in. “How is your presidency going?”

“Well, it’s becoming more challenging,” Anne explained. “Our principal is not very supportive. And we are rallying for a change in prom king and queen nomination.”

“Not surprised to hear that,” Izzy laughed. “Consider you smashed him in the behind!”

Her comment caused some silence from the group. “I mean in cars,” Izzy clarified herself.

“So what are you trying to change?” Richard asked.

“Last year, it was the faculties and the principal who select the nominees based on some online survey students did back in summer of junior year. This time, we are rallying for the nominations based on senior students’ votes at two months before the senior prom,” Anne explained. “I think this way is fairer considering the son of the school superintendant is already rally himself for the senior prom king.”

“You mean your ex-boyfriend Edward Lancaster,” Izzy said.

“Unfortunately, that is correct,” Anne said.

“And you are still not going to your prom?” Cecily asked.

“No, I’m not.”

“What if you are nominated prom queen?” Richard asked matter-of-factly.

Anne laughed. “I’m not that type of girl!”

“There is no type of girl for prom queen,” Richard said. “It’s about personality and popularity—not too much different from running for office.”

“Why, were you the prom king?” Anne asked.

“No, I missed my senior prom,” Richard replied.

“Well, sorry to hear that. But back to our original topic, I just don’t see myself in a dress, with my hair up and wearing a plastic crown.”

***

The barbeque was fun. Anne spoke to Richard and found him more pleasant than she expected. On her way back, she was wondering if he is more like Ewan McGregor or like Orlando Bloom. He was nice, but not too talkative. She felt relieved that he did not bring up the things she said about him and/or his family. Maybe, sometimes, she could reach out to him for advice on college application or legal career.

“Here we are,” Izzy said happily. Then suddenly her tone changed. “OH MY FUCKING GOD!”

“What?” Anne looked up and was shocked and aghast.

Before them, the house—home of Nevilles—was gone. Anne jumped out of the car after Izzy and George. All three of them found a huge hole in the ground.

Her earth science teacher would’ve told her that it’s a sinkhole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoying this. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Pretty please!


	3. Three's Company, or Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'm obsessed with my own stories.
> 
> Comments please.
> 
> This fic is a comedy-drama or dramedy by the way.

“Hey Ed, you might want to come to Iz’s house. We got a problem,” George said to Ed through his smartphone. Meanwhile, Izzy and Anne stood dumbfounded before that large hole.

The whole thing was a nightmare and a horrible joke of nature.

Izzy was speechless; occasionally she let out some laughs. For Anne, she was very still. At first, she couldn’t even comprehend what happened; then suddenly, it hit her. When she realized it, she felt her chest tightened and couldn’t breathe. She was wheezing. It took a few moments for Izzy to pay attention to her instead of the sinkhole.

“Annie, are you okay?”

Anne did not respond since she was short of breathe. After a few heavy wheezes, her vision blurred and her body felt light. She fell heavily on the ground.

“Annie!” Izzy freaked out as Anne continued to struggle with her breathe. “George, call 911!”

George turned and immediately dialed 911 Emergency.

“Hello, 911? Yes, we have an emergency, actually two. There’s a house that fell into a hole! I assume no one is in it…No I’m not absolutely sure…it’s not even my house...Anyway, we have a girl who is dying! She is struggling with her breathe…oh how should I know? Heart attack? TB? I am not a doctor and I failed health class back in high school!”

By the time the ambulance arrived, so did Ed. As Anne was taken away by the ambulance, Izzy went with her. Ed stayed with George by the sinkhole. The two took pictures of it with their phone and sent it to their friends and family. Soon, cameras, reporters, and newscast came as well. Everyone was amazed to see something as such. After all, Middleham had always been a nice, quiet town for upper middle-class people.

Meanwhile, the occupants of the house—Richard Neville, Ann Beauchamp Neville, Izzy, and Anne—were all thankfully elsewhere. Richard Neville was busy teaching and researching about human rights in Philippines while Ann Beauchamp was complaining about mosquito bites; Anne was sent to emergency room with Izzy by her side. The ER doctor diagnosed her with episodic acute asthma attack, likely to be induced by psychological stress. After prescribed her medications, Anne was discharged.

George took the Neville sisters to Ed’s house.

Anne still had spoken a single word.

***

Cecily rubbed Anne in the back and offered her some hot chocolate and cake. Anne looked around, hoping this was only a bad dream, except it wasn’t.

“What are we going to do?” Izzy asked. “I mean, I’m okay. Mom and Dad are in Philippines and I emailed them about the incident. We have to find Annie some place to stay.”

“Can she stay with you?” Ed asked. George shook his head vehemently behind Izzy.

“I don’t know,” Izzy was hesitant. “George and I live in a one-bedroom apartment. If you don’t feel awkward sleeping in the living room on the couch, you’re definitely welcome Annie.”

“Well, Isabel, please. Your house fell into a hole and it’s not going to reemerge within a few days undamaged. So, I don’t see it a good idea in long term,” Ed said.

“I…I can check into a hotel…” Anne finally managed to speak. “I mean, you have enough people living in this house, Ed. Izzy and George are getting married and living in a one bedroom apartment. I’m sure that there are apartments available around here.”

“No!” Cecily objected. “Annie, you are still in high school and there is no way that you are house searching on your own under this circumstance!”

But then, what else could be done?

“I have an idea,” Liz spoke. “If I recalled correctly, we do have a guest house not too far away from here. Anne can lodge there.”

That was a good idea, actually.

“Anne?” Ed looked at her.

Anne nodded. “For how long?”

“As long as you need,” Ed assured her. “Wait until your parents come back at least. I admire your father very much and I cannot face him in person if I allow his high school daughter to wonder off elsewhere after such incident.”

Finally, Anne smiled. “Thanks.”

Then she meekly asked, “There is no sinkhole under that house, is there?”

***

The guest house was way better than Anne anticipated. She was expecting a small house, but it turned out to be a fancy two-floor house. Running water, internet access, bedroom _s_ , kitchen, bath—Anne could not believe her luck. Immediately, she recalled how she judged the Yorks that evening at the restaurant. Now she felt guilty about the things she said. Cecily may be sheltered, but she was so kind. Liz may look like a witch, but she was not that bad.

Using the computer lent by Ed, Anne re-uploaded all her important files from Dropbox and Google documents. She learned to save each file a backup since her first computer crash. Then, she ordered clothes and other items online and chose overnight delivery.

Thank God she took her purse, bank card, and cell phone with her when she went to the barbeque.

Honestly, had Izzy and George stick to the original schedule, she would've been swallowed by that sinkhole.

She was going to skip school tomorrow—not unreasonable. After the things she ordered arrive tomorrow, everything would be fine again.

Anne dialed Veronica and apparently, it was already on the news. Veronica was so relieved to know that she was okay.

Unfortunately, so was Edward Lancaster.

He texted her numerous times, asking if she was okay and if she needed somewhere to stay; he even offered her to stay at his place, to which Anne replied “no”.

She then sent Veronica a text, inviting her over to her new “house” after school. Veronica happily said “yes”.

***

When Veronica knocked the door, Anne was busying opening all her boxes.

“Oh Anne, thank god you are all right!” Veronica gave her a huge hug. “I thought you were swallowed by that sinkhole! If it did, then your fate is even worse than Richard III. That hunchback king is at least discovered after 500 years. Had you been swallowed by that sinkhole, you wouldn’t even be found after 1000 years or perhaps 1 million!”

Then, she put down her bags and opened them.

“I brought you some extra clothes. You know, school t-shirts, spirit ones—so you have something for school activities.”

“Veronica! Those are from your sophomore years!”

“I know, all my senior year shirts are way too big for you. Every girl hates you for that!” Veronica teased.

Oh yes, Anne was thin and svelte. She wasn’t tall either. By first glance, one might take her as a fourteen year-old rather than eighteen.

“Anyway, thanks. I think I'll be back in school tomorrow.”

“You need to be,” Veronica said. “You have no idea. Edward Lancaster already started his campaign for prom king nomination!”

“What?” Anne asked in disbelief.

“The school board agreed to your suggestion, so Edward Lancaster has to rely on the student body for his nomination!”

“He can’t do that!” Anne was furious. “It’s still fall. The rule is that the voting for prom king and queen nomination does not start until two months prior to the event.”

“Well he is. He already created posters and passing out candies with his picture on it,” Veronica told her. “And he is also rallying for your prom queen nomination.”

“Please spare me,” Anne said. She didn’t really care for her nomination, but she really did not want anything to do with Edward.

“Anne, sometimes, I think maybe you should go talk to Edward,” Veronica suggested. “He cares for you , in an odd way, but he does.”

“He is making me uncomfortable, I can tell you that,” Anne snorted. “Always, he do something and attach my name to it without even consulting me. And he is obsessed with my coughs.”

Veronica’s eyes narrowed.

“This guy needs to come back to the world of reality,” Anne continued. “He is no one special; he is not well-liked; and he is not a poet who is in love with a girl suffering from TB.”

“Like in _Moulin Rouge_?” Veronica was amused.

“Yes, like in that movie. Every time he sees me, he recites that song by Elton John. It will continue until I take him back.”

“Will you?”

“No, unless I was swallowed by a sinkhole.”

***

After Veronica helped her unpacked, Anne was all settled in. She was very relieved and had a good sleep. The first few days were a little odd, but soon she adapted into her new settlement. She opened the refrigerator and found some beers.

She was eighteen. It was only illegal for her to “buy” alcohol, but not illegal to “drink” alcohol.

So after school, Anne wore nothing but a long t-shirt that covering her down to the upper thigh and her VS panties, worked on her college applications and took a drink or two. Boy, it was great to live in such an environment where she could do anything she wanted.

With no intruder.

***

“Richard! Richard! Richard!” Three people chanted his name while Richard opened the door to his house.

His three friends jumped in after him and cheered.

“I told you Richard, you have nothing to worry about!” His best friend Francis Lovell said, patting him on the shoulders.

“Richard York scored 99th percentile on LSAT!” His other friend Rob Percy added.

“To our future legal advisor!” Kate Haute, his ex-girlfriend and now friend, yelled out.

“Come on! Let’s drink!” Francis suggested. He went to the refrigerator, but found no beer. “Hey, where’s our beer?”

“What?” Richard raised an eyebrow. “I just brought a case last weekend.”

“You think some homeless person wondered in and drank it all?” Rob joked.

Kate smelled something. “Hey Richard, your house smelled like…jasmine. And your living room looked clean and organized.”

“Richard, are you living with someone?” Francis asked suggestively. “Is it a girl?”

“No, I’m not living with anyone,” Richard insisted. “I’m going to call the police. Apparently, someone has been here without my acknowledgement.”

Just then, the four of them found themselves face-to-face with a medium height brunette girl walked into the living room, wearing only t-shirt with the text “Middlehalm High School Sophomore” printed on it; she was carrying a bottle of beer in her hand.

“Oh hi, Richard,” she greeted with her face red.


	4. I love Richard, not!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I laughed a lot when I wrote this.
> 
> Maybe you will laugh too.

She didn’t look any older than fifteen; she wore a high school sophomore t-shirt, which barely covered her butt; and she was drinking a bottle of beer.

Kate, Francis, and Rob looked at her then back at Richard. Their eyes said it all.

“Look,” Anne said nervously. “It’s not what you think. I am eighteen so legally I am an adult.”

The other four made no response.

“I’m still in high school and this is the first time I did this,” she added.

Kate, Francis, and Rob’s eyes grew even wider.

“Please don’t be hard on Richard, it’s all my own doing more than willingly. My parents are out of town and I have no one to turn to,” she looked at them and they said nothing. “My house fell into a hole.”

As whenever she got herself in an awkward situation, Anne continued to talk, “I have nowhere to go and all my things were lost into that hole. And Richard’s brother Edward offered me this place to stay. And I just happened saw some beer in the frige and so I decided to have some. I swear I am not a drinker and I never drink and drive. Honestly, I don’t even have a valid driver’s license—“

“Anne,” Richard stopped her. “Please put some pants on.”

“Oh.” Blushing, she ran out of the kitchen and then came back wearing a pair of shorts. “I’m sorry, I got used to be alone here. So, back to the point, can you not tell anyone about me drinking beer?”

Finally Kate, Francis, and Rob let out a sigh of relief. At first, listening to all of her rambling, they thought she was some teenage runaway-prostitute. Now, they knew she was nervous about being discovered drinking under age.

“Do you guys live here?” she asked carefully, hoping the answer to be no.

“Oh we don’t,” Francis pointed at himself, Kate, and Rob. “But Richard does.”

***

Anne sat uneasily on the couch while Richard called Ed.

“What do you mean you just offered her a shelter?” Richard asked in frustration. “How come you did not even talk to me about it?....I know my phone was off…because I was taking LSAT…Yes, I scored perfect…”

After a while, Richard hung up the phone.

“So,” Anne started. “Roommates?”

“Not a chance,” Richard said evenly. “You can get your stuff together and leave.”

“What?” Anne stood. “Ed says I can stay here as long as I can.”

“This house is mine,” Richard said matter-of-factly. “My dad left it on to me in his will. Ed tends to forget that I turned eighteen three years ago and like to think that he can make the arrangement. But no.”

“Really? You are throwing me out?”

“Well, if I recalled correctly, somebody once said, ‘Those Yorks are so haughty and lame and I cannot understand who can live with them.’ Who said that? Oh I remember, it was you. FYI, I am a York and since you cannot live with a York, then I guess you just have to go elsewhere to live.”

“I’m sorry, okay,” Anne apologized. “I was talking to my sister and I didn’t know that you are related to them. I mean, Ed and George are tall and—“

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I heard this from many people for a million times. But it does not make it right to make such a comment against my family and particularly me.”

 “Particularly you?” Anne was bewildered. “What are you talking about?”

“’I’m not going to marry that Richard even if he is the last man on earth’,” Richard mimicked her.

“Well, it’s not like you like to marry me anyway,” Anne muttered. “Look, Richard, can you just let me stay. This is a big house and you and I don’t have to talk or see one another. Besides, if you throw me out, what would Ed say?”

“I’ll tell him what you said about me, about my mother, and about his wife. And let’s see how he react,” he smirked.

Now Anne felt defeated.

“I’m sorry,” she said, more genuinely this time. “Look, I really have nowhere else to go. Mom and Dad are in Philippines and I still have two semester of senior year to go. Dad constantly praised how you have a generous big heart—“

“He constantly criticizes me for being too vengeful and tightfisted.”

“Okay, fine he never praised you on that. But deep down in your heart, are you really going to let a poor girl with poor health on the street?” She started to blink tears. “Maybe it would’ve been better had I been swallowed by that sinkhole.”

After a long moment of silence, Richard spoke, “You think I’m going to let you live here for free?”

“You want me to pay rent?” Anne asked.

“Well, you cannot just live here for free after the things you said,” Richard said. “But I’m going to give you a chance.”

“Really?”

“You have to prove that you are remorseful about what you said. So, you have to earn your place to live here.”

“What do you mean?”

“You are not going to live here as a guest,” Richard told her. “You are going to live here as my employee.”

“What?”

“In exchange of room, board, food, and utility, you are going to work for me. It’s that simple.”

“What am I going to do for you?” Anne asked.

“Things,” Richard said, walking back and forth. “I will leave you a list of things to do each morning and you are to finish them by midnight. If you fail, then you are out.”

As much as she hated it, Anne felt she had no other choice. “Got it. But one question: you are not going to ask me do anything dirty or illegal, right?”

“No, I’m a righteous person, believe it or not.”

“Okay.”

Richard lent out his hand and Anne shook it.

***

“You are not going to believe it,” Anne said to Veronica, showing her the list of things Richard gave her that morning. “That house I’m staying, it’s Richard’s. And he is making me do all these things for him in exchange of boarding.”

“You serious?” Veronica was shocked but amused. She looked at the list and then laughed, “Come on, Anne. All these things are simple stuff. Any thirteen-year old can do them. ‘Buy five bagels from Panera Bread, plain; do laundry; proof read my paper, it’s on kitchen counter; arrange my note cards in alphabetical order; type up philosophy notes…”

“These are to be done before midnight tonight,” Anne added. “I have the prom committee meeting after school and I have a history project. There is no way I can get all these things done.”

“Why can’t you shove it back to his face and tell him that his brother give you the permission to stay?”

“Because I said something about his brother and he heard it…”

“So he’s blackmailing you,” Veronica then started to giggle.

“This is not funny!”

“Anne, you are full of drama,” Veronica shook her head. “My life is so boring in comparison.”

“What should I do?” Anne looked at Veronica seeking support and advice.

“Anne, take a deep breath and relax. It’s going to be all right. Worst case scenario, you go live with Edward.”

“Like anyone can like under the same roof with his mother,” Anne grumbled.

***

By the time Anne got back to the house, it was almost six o’clock. She got the bagels, good. The rest of the things to do were mostly house chores and school works. By the time she finished it all, it was almost eleven o’clock.

Richard’s work wasn’t hard, only that his handwritings were difficult to comprehend since they were like chicken scratches. Oh yeah, one last thing she nearly missed: make midnight dinner. Anne was the last person who knew how to cook.

When the clock stroked midnight, Richard came back.

“Hi,” Anne greeted.

“Hello,” he greeted back.

“Uh, I did everything you have on the list. The laundry is all done in the laundry basket; I placed it before your bedroom door. Your notes are all typed and I emailed it to you. The note cards are right here. I proofread your essay and found some grammar errors; it’s all marked.”

“And my midnight dinner?”

“Right here,” Anne presented to him. Richard’s face was priceless when he saw what she made: chopped up iceberg lettuce with baby carrots on top without any salad dressing.  “I washed the lettuce very thoroughly and cut them carefully so they won’t be caught in your teeth. And I added some onions to add some flavors.”

“I hate onions.” Richard managed to say.

“Oh, let me fix it.” Anne grabbed another salad bowl and then flipped the original salad bowl upside down so that the salads fell into the new bowl with the onions on the bottom. “There, now you won’t taste the onions. Enjoy!”

She bid him goodnight cheerfully and went to her room.

Boy, was she proud of herself.

She earned her first night of stay by her own honest work.

Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad living under that agreement.

Meanwhile, Richard sat in the kitchen and stared at that salad bowl, not knowing whether to eat it or throw it away.     


	5. The Road Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you love this chapter too!

Two months went by and before they knew it, it was October.

Richard had submitted his law school applications and now Anne was putting hers together. She and Veronica were applying for early decision enrollment. Veronica had her eyes on SUNY and Anne wanted to go to Columbia. Unlike ten years ago when most applications were done by mailing, nowadays everything is online. So, for nearly all American high school seniors, it was only one-click away before they made one of the most important decisions of their lives as adults.

Anne was uneasy; thus Veronica invited to sleepover at her house to submit the applications together.

“I’m like to take two days off,” she told Richard. “I’m going to sleepover at Veronica’s.”

“Okay,” Richard nodded. Since his application was done, heavy weight lifted off his shoulders. “But remember, it cannot be longer than two days.”

Anne rolled her eyes and went out of the door with her bags. Veronica was beeping.

***

“So how is the King?” Veronica asked.

“The King?” Anne did not know what she was talking about.

“Your boss aka landlord aka Richard York,” Veronica smirked. “I like to meet him.”

“Please, don’t,” Anne said. “I really want to focus on this application stuff.”

“By the way, where is the King is going for law school?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care,” Anne snorted and started to complain about Richard. “He shows absolutely on appreciation for the things I do. He criticized my cooking—“

“Anne, I don’t think anyone ever approved of your cooking,” Veronica laughed.

“I’m telling you Veronica, as a person he is much worse than Richard III,” Anne said. “One day, he will marry and his wife will leave him. I will represent his wife and will leave him completely naked!”

“You know, he’s from a privileged family who worked in legal system for three generations.”

“So am I, only the soon-to-be second generation.”

“Okay, but you’ll never know who ended up naked in the end!”

***

Anne returned to Richard’s after two days. It was done.

Now she had to wait for the reply; if not Columbia, then she would apply for SUNY, NYU, Cornell, and some other safety schools.

Yet she was glad to put that behind her. Now all she wanted to do was sleep.

***

“Wake up!”

Anne rubbed her eyes as a pillow smacked into her head. As she opened her eyes, she found Richard standing before her bed.

“What?”

“Get up.”

“Why? It’s Saturday! Remember? No one work on weekends!”

“We’re going on a trip,” he said.

“To where?”

“Princeton University,” he replied.

“Why? I’m not going school there!”

“With your brain and intelligence, that’s not even a question,” he teased. “But, I’m going there to visit just to see if I’m interested. So, get dressed and meet me at my car.”

“What if I don’t?” Anne pulled the cover back over her head.

“I knew you’d say that,” Richard smirked and placed something under her cover. Anne felt something cold and slippery. When she grabbed it, she was horrified.

It was a snake!

Anne screamed, threw the cover away, and jumped out of the bed. Grabbing the hockey stick from the wall, she hit the bed like madness.

And Richard laughed in the background.

Finally, Anne calmed down. Her hair was all messy and her face was completely distorted.

“Is it dead?” she asked, shaking.

Laughing, Richard fished out the fake snake from Toys-R-Us. Playfully, he tapped Anne on the head.

Sometimes, she was just so adorable.

***

“Here are the rules,” Richard began as Anne got into the passenger seat. He handed her his GPS. “You are going to be the navigator while I’m the driver. I know how to get to New Jersey, but once we’re in Jersey, you need to give me direction. Make it simple: right or left.”

Holding the GPS in her hand, Anne began to move her right and left hand to get her “right” and “left” in order, which Richard did not see.

“Now, when we are paying tolls,” Richard continued. “You are paying. But when we stop to get food and drinks, I’m buying. I will give you my credit card and you will get whatever I told you and whatever you like.”

“That sounds fair,” Anne said cheerfully. “By the way, I’ve been to Princeton before.”

“Did you?”

“Oh yeah, it was Dad, Izzy, and I. New Jersey isn’t the prettiest state, but the university is fine,” Anne paused and then asked, “Is it just going to be the two of us?”

“No, some friends will be there. You met them all, by the way.”

“When?”

“The day you got caught drinking underage.”

***

Francis, Rob, and Kate waited patiently for Richard. Usually, he was the one rebuked others for being late. This time, however, he was over two hours late.

What happened?

Finally, Richard arrived. By his facial expression, his friends knew he was pissed. Behind him tailgated Anne; her facial expression resembled the one of a child who got caught misbehaved at school.

“Richard, you’re late?” Rob asked sarcastically. “Was it the traffic?”

Richard made no response and walked to the nearby food court; and everyone followed. Everyone else got sandwiches and salads while Anne only ordered a strawberry shake.

“Is that all you have?” Kate asked her.

“Yeah,” Anne muttered.

While waiting for their food and drinks, neither Richard nor Anne spoke to anyone. When the food service coordinators placed a cup of latte on the counter, Anne went up and took it. Francis looked at her bewilderedly.

“Anne, you ordered strawberry shake, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Then why are you drinking my latte?”

“Oh,” Anne blushed after she already took a sip. “Here, you can have it back.”

After they got all the food and drinks they ordered, the group went to sit. Richard’s face was still cold as stone and Anne still looked uneasy. Kate went to the register and asked for a cup of water. When she brought the water back to the table, Anne dipped her used spoon in it.

Everyone looked at her as if she went mad. It took Anne several minutes to realize what she did.

“I’m so sorry! I’ll get you a new one!” Anne hopped from her seat and went to get another cup of water for Kate. Her chest was tightened again and she started wheezing.

“Excuse me,” Anne went to the bathroom. Kate followed her.

“What happened?” Rob asked Richard. “Did you two argue?”

“I asked _her_ to be my navigator because I can’t stick to my GPS to my windshield. And here she goes,” Richard said bitingly, pointed his finger out to the right. “LEFT!”

***

Coughing and wheezing, it took a while for Anne to catch her breath. Looking at herself in the mirror, Anne was surprised at her wheezing. She was indoors and it was daytime. Her usual coughs occurred at night and outdoors. The temperature wasn’t cold either.

“Are you okay?” Kate asked.

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?” Kate asked. “Did you two fight?”

Sniffing, Anne choked down the tightness in her throat. “I was navigating for him, and I never expected the highway in New Jersey to be so complex and expensive. I just made a few mistakes, and he yelled at me. Only half of the things he accused me of were true.”

_Two hours ago…_

A black BMW drove down the highway, where large signs say “Welcome to New Jersey”.

“Okay, Anne, which way?” Richard asked, paying attention to the roads.

“Well, I don’t know, the picture has the road twisted and rounded,” Anne looked the GPS and was completely confused.

“Left or right? It’s on the upper left-hand corner,” Richard was a little irritated.

“Left,” Anne said while pointed to the right. When Richard pulled into the left lane, Anne immediately realized her mistake. “No, it’s the other direction!”

She pointed to the right. “This way!”

Richard rolled his eyes and changed the lane.

Initially, it was kind of funny. However, soon, it wasn’t. New Jersey was probably most famous for its cheaper gas price and its high toll fees. Several wrong turns meant paying the same toll several times. Aside from annoyance, Anne realized that she was out of cash.

“$15.00 please,” the toll gate security guard said.

“But we only have $14.00,” Anne said. “Can we pay with credit card?”

“No, but we can take a picture of your car and mail the bill to you,” he said and opened the gate.

Richard’s face was retorted with anger.

“What’s wrong?” Anne asked.

“I have not changed my address with the DMV. This means that when they mail me that bill, they will add a penalty!”

“I didn’t know that,” Anne said apologetically.

Richard was silent, but Anne found it more uncomfortable than him yelling at her.

After a long while, Anne burped out, “I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, me too,” Richard took the next exit and drove to a nearby Panera Bread. He handed her his credit card. “A bagel and a diet coke. You can get whatever you like. Don’t forget the straw!”

“Great, thanks!” Anne felt more relieved with him offering.

In Panera Bread, Anne waited a long time in line. Finally, she got the food and drinks and she remembered the straw for Richard.

Only she forgot what car Richard was driving; and where he parked.

So she looked out to the parking lot, hoping Richard would beep or drive up to get her. But he didn’t.

Without any other choice, Anne went to each car to check if Richard was in it. From his view mirror, Richard’s eyes narrowed as he watched Anne went to each car, looked inside, and then moved to the next. Then, she looked relieved and got into a green Honda. And then she jumped out.

Finally, after running all around, she found Richard and got into his car.

“Hi, sorry for taking so long,” she said. “Let’s go. And I did not forget your straw.”

“Anne, this is a coffee straw!”Richard pointed to the thin red straw in his diet coke.

“I guess, but I’m sure it’s still useful,” Anne muttered.

Richard rolled his eyes and started the car. After a while, they finally arrived to the Princeton campus.

“Do you know where to park?”Anne asked.

“No,” Richard said. “This is my first time here.”

“I know a place where you can park for free,” Anne said. “Dad parked there when he took Izzy and I here.”

“Okay, where?”

“Well, I remember it’s on a mountain,” Anne said, trying to remember. “Left.”

And she pointed to the right.

They nearly got into an accident.

After much confusion and turns, they found the place. As Richard drove up into a parking lot on a small hill, Anne smiled, “Ah, I know there was an elevation to get there!”

“I guess this is the _mountain_ you spoke of,” Richard commented.

And only after they parked, they were told that the policy had changed and now they are charging parking fee: $25 a day.

Richard blasted at Anne.

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? CAN’T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT? WHAT DID YOU WRITE IN YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY? ONE DAY I WENT TO VISIT COLLEGES, THE DIRECTION SAYS WEST BUT I TURNED EAST?”

Soon Anne was in tears. No one had ever yelled at her like this, not even her Dad.

***

Wiping her tears, Anne continued, “I do get things right, at least sometimes. He didn’t have to yell at me like this in the public!”

Kate tried to hold down her laughs. “Anne, I have to say, you and Richard will make an interesting couple.”

“We are not a couple and never will be!” Anne insisted. “I already promised myself that after becoming a lawyer, I will defeat him in court and leave him naked!”

Another girl passed by and stopped after hearing that.

“Anne, believe it or not, Richard talks about you a lot,” Kate told her. “I think deep down inside, he likes you.”

“If he does, then he is using a very interesting way to show it.” Anne was not buying it.

“I know Richard for a long time and we dated sometimes ago. He is a good person and he does have generous spots. He just hates to show it,” Kate explained. “He may tell you that he finds you annoying, but he is enjoying having you around.”

“How can you tell?”

“He’s different, kind like a young man who just got married,” Kate joked.

“He’s in college and I’m in high school.”

“But your personalities are quite an interesting match.”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about this anymore, I want this day to end and then go home,” Anne said, blowing her nose.

“Another thing: hearing your wheezing, I think you need to see a specialist,” Kate told her. “I’m a med student, so I know. I think it’s asthma.”

_Asthma?_

“Come on, let’s go,” Kate took her back to the table.

***

The visit to Princeton was not really a waste.

On their way back, Francis rode with them. He sat in the passenger seat and Anne stayed in the back.

“You sit quietly in the back,” Richard ordered.

Francis gave her a wink and they headed back.

As they drove, Anne slowly drift into sleep. Her eyes were closed, but her mind was conscious.

She heard Francis said to Richard, "Come on Richard, admit it. You like this girl."

"Be quiet!"

"Whoa, you fear that she might know?"

"Get real Francis, she's a kid!"

"Richard, I study psychology and sociology. Based on your behavior, I see that you want her to mess things up so that you can step in to fix it to impress her. And I see that you have this unconcscious intention to change her mind about neve marry you even if you are the last man."

Richard said nothing.

"For all these years knowing you, I never hear you complain about anyone you truly don't care for. This is for the first ime in my life hearing you complain endlessly about someone you don't seem to like. Don't worry, she's asleep. Do you like her?"

"Well, I--"


	6. Bananas, Bananas, Bananas

“It’s a bit funny, this feeling inside,” a voice said behind her. Anne correctly guessed who it was—none other than Edward Lancaster.

“If you recite that song one more time,” Anne said, followed by her coughs.

“Anne, you are so bewitching and besotting,” Edward said.

“Earth to Edward!” Anne said, after the coughing stopped. “We are in the 21st century high school, not in 19th century Paris. And if you think that getting closer to me can make you prom king, then you are dead wrong. FYI: we are not getting back together!”

With that said, she walked away from him.

“Come on, Anne! You and I are meant to be!”

“Oh really?” Anne turned to him. “Why did you break up with me after I told you that I don’t have TB?”

“I don’t know,” he muttered. “It was a shock, like a dream suddenly ended…”

“It was your dream that I’m having TB?” Anne’s eyes narrowed. She suspected that not too long ago, only did not expect him saying that literally. It didn’t hurt, but it was strange.

“Anne, come on. Give me a chance. I love you,” Edward insisted. “Love is a many splendored thing. Love lift us up where we belong. All you need is love.

“Please don’t start that again!” Anne retorted.

A mistake.

That was the next line to the duet, Satine’s part.

“All you need is love!” Edward started singing.

“Oh God!” Anne ran down the hallway to be away from him.

***

The school went okay, but Anne could hardly pay attention. She was counting the days to hear back from Columbia, wondering about her chances and marking the deadlines for early action of her backup schools. Edward continued to stalk her, even after she tried every method to hide from him. However, Edward was not the only person who gave her trouble.

After school, she was called down to the principal’s office.

 _What did I do now?_ She thought.

To her surprise, Principal Stanley was rather caring. “How are you doing, Anne?”

“I’m doing well, thank you.”

“I heard about what happened to your house,” he said sincerely. “It’s great that you weren’t in it when it happened. So, you have a place to live?”

“Yes,” Anne nodded. “With my sister’s new family.”

“Good to hear that,” he said. “How’s your health? Are you still plagued by the coughs?”

“Even you noticed,” Anne murmured, blushing. “I’m going to see a new doctor soon. I heard that he’s really good.”

“Why? What happened to the other doctor?”

“Well, long story short, he’s not very helpful,” she told him. “And his medical assistant is mentally unstable.”

“Are you talking about Margaret Beaufort?” His eyes widened slightly.

“Yes,” Anne replied, surprised. “Wow, what a small world! You know her?”

“She’s my wife.”

Anne felt time stopped around her.

***

That conversation with Principal Stanley really had an impact on her. The next morning, she woke up with a fever. She stayed in the bed the whole day.

Anne called Veronica and told her about her condition.

“Poor baby!” Veronica said on the phone. “Is Richard going to provide some care?”

“Please don’t say that name, or I’ll die instantly!” Anne whined. “The man is now cold as an ice.”

“Why? What happened?”

“It’s too long of a story. But he is not around.”

“Is he still making you do list of things?”

“I don’t know,” Anne muttered weakly. “I didn’t check.”

“What an ass! Anne, seriously, if I were you, I’d go live somewhere else! No matter what you did, he has no right to treat you like that! Hotel, homeless shelter, or I can talk to my parents to see if you can live with us.”

“No thanks Veronica. Let’s put a rain check on that,” Anne said gratefully. “I want this fever to go away first.”

“Then get some sleep,” she paused and then said, “Call me if the King is throwing you out.”

Anne hung up and then slowly and shaking, sauntered to the kitchen to see if Richard left her things to do for the day. To her surprise, the list was not on the table as usual.

What does it mean?

She was kicked out? Or was he giving her a break?

Ever since that trip to Princeton, Richard had been distant and cold. It was like as if he didn’t care if she was around, not in a good way.

She remembered the conversation he had with Francis in the car. Francis suggested about his feelings for her, which Anne found hard to understand. Richard did not really deny; he simply did not want to talk about it, or admit it. After Francis asked and asked, finally he was about to say something.

Only to be interrupted by a truck’s honking.

And that conversation ended right there.

Honestly, Anne rather Richard taunts her, teases her, or picks on her. It was not very nice, but it was kind of fun too. Now, his coldness made her feel lonely.

It sucked to be sick and in bed.

She wanted to be in school where she can see smiling faces and hear laughter. If Principal Williams suddenly dies from heart attack, that’d be even better.

***

As she dizzily lying in her bed, her phone rang.

It was Veronica, panicking. “Anne, I have some bad news for you!”

“What?”

“Somehow, he knows that you are sick and where you live!”

“What? Who?”

“Your ex-boyfriend Edward Lancaster! Somehow he finds out that you are sick and managed to find out where you live!”

Anne said nothing.

“Okay, fine! It was my fault. I was at lunch talking about your situation, completely forgot that he was there!”

“I know it!” Anne was not happy.

“He is coming over to take care of you!”

“He told you that?”

“No! But my guts say yes.”

“Oh great, he’s here against my will during my weakest moment.”

***

A few hours later, the doorbell rang. Anne chose to ignore it.

The doorbell rang again, again, and again. Then a strong male’s voice shouted, “UPS delivery!”

_Oh UPS, probably for Richard._

Her fever seemed to pass. Still a bit lightheaded, Anne went down the stairs to the door. As soon as she opened it, she found herself face-to-face with Edward Lancaster.

Oh great, how gullible was she!

Before she could slam the door shut, Edward barged in. “Oh sweet Nanette, look at you! You are pale as sheet.”

“Don’t call me Nanette, please,” Anne turned from him. “It’d great if you leave since you are not invited.”

“Not a chance,” Edward said, moving closer to her. “I’m not going to leave you here sick and die!”

As silly it was, Anne found his actions rather sweet and tender. Hot tears filled her eyes. She tried hard to fight it, but couldn’t. Before she knew it, she was sobbing.

“Nanette, don’t,” Edward pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face. Anne only cried harder. Slowly, Edward wrapped his arms around her, stroking her tenderly. “Don’t worry, Nanette, I will take good care of you. I will never leave your side until you are well again.”

He then turned around and whistled to the door. “Come on in boys!”

A group of guys marched in; those are the guys from the Glee Club with Edward. In their arms, they carried boxes of bananas and cookware.

“What is this?” Anne could not handle any more surprises.

“We are going to make you the best banana shakes in the world,” Edward told her. “The shakes will be delicious and healthy. Soon, you will bid your illness goodbye.”

Then he ordered the guys, “Get to work!”

Instantly, the guys started to peel, chop, and mix bananas while Edward walked Anne back to bed. Gently, he tucked Anne back in bed.

“Here,” he placed something in her arms. It was a stuffed Banana in Pajamas.

“Ed, you shouldn’t have,” Anne was more than touched. Edward can be so sweet at times, if only he can stop being strange.

“I remember you told me how much you loved that show when you were a kid,” Edward said sincerely. “Have some rest. I’ll wake you when the shake is ready.”

***

Richard had a long day. Projects, researches, papers, and class discussions were endless. On top of that, he couldn’t help but wonder if he got accepted by Columbia’s law school. It was a blessing for him to come home and watch some TV, enjoying some quietness.

On this way back, he stopped at CVS Pharmacy. He didn’t know why at first; then he recalled that Anne was sick.

Why should he care?

He recalled that conversation with Francis; and how Kate and Rob teased him for being “married”. He never took their words seriously.

But did he?

Anne was only three years younger; they were both adults and living under the same roof. His first impression of her was far from positive. Since the day she moved in, she caused him nothing but trouble. She embarrassed him in front of his friends; she was a bad navigator; she was a poor cook; and she taped over his soccer game with her entertainment shows. Richard didn’t know who to be angry with. Ed who offered her this shelter; George and Izzy who refused to take her in; her parents who chose to go to Philippines at around this time; or that real estate agent who sold them the house on top of a sinkhole.

At yet, after that conversation with Francis, Anne’s presence started to bug him. He didn’t know how to explain it. And he did not want to.

But as much as he hated to admit, Anne was someone special.

From the pharmacy counter, he grabbed cough drop, Tylenol, Advil, eye drop, band-aid, and bits of everything else. This was Anne Neville, the person who was prone to every accident in the strangest way possible. So of course, he needed to buy everything she possible need. By the time he went to the register, his basket was full.

“What are you, preparing for the next earthquake?” the cashier joked.

***

By the time he came home, he spotted a SUV by his house.

Richard opened the door and found a bunch of high school boys making banana shakes in his kitchen. Two boys were busying peeling the bananas; one boy was chopping them; one was using the mixer; and one was pouring them into cups.

Richard was stunned.

“Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my kitchen?” he asked, tried to not lose his temper.

The boys stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

“We are high school boys making banana shakes,” one of them said matter-of-factly.

“I know that,” Richard rolled his eyes. _Teenagers these days._ “How did you get in here?”

“Edward is Anne’s friend. He brought us here to make her banana shakes to cure her fever,” another answered. “We are his Glee Club friends.”

Richard couldn’t help but realized the boxes of bananas on his kitchen counter. Dear God, nobody can eat that many bananas before they gone bad.

“Please don’t touch the bananas,” the boy who peeled the bananas said. “Those are the best bananas from Bahamas. They are for Miss Nanette.”

"Who is the world is Miss Nanette?" Richard felt like he was in a dream.

"That's Edward's special name for Anne."

“Where is Edward now?” Richard said, furious. “I need to speak with him.”

“He’s upstairs with Anne.”

“Alone?” Richard’s eyes nearly gouged out.

The boys merely shrugged their shoulders.

Richard raced upstairs in the speed of light. Behind him, one of the boys muttered, “Is that the guy Anne vowed to divorce in court after seeing him naked?”

***

When he came to Anne’s room, the door was half closed. Without knocking, Richard barged in.

He was shocked at what he saw.

Anne was in bed, hugging something that looked like a stuffed penis; and Edward was on top of her with his lips against hers.

“Get away from her now!” Richard ordered.

Edward jerked up and choked. Anne rubbed her eyes, not knowing what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to say a thing.
> 
> But I like to see what you like to say.
> 
> Cheers!


	7. Cherries after Banana

The Glee Club boys continued their process, making the banana shakes as Richard raced upstairs.

Then they were interrupted by a bunch of noises—shouting, struggling, yelling, and running. Finally, Richard ran back down to the kitchen, dragging Edward by the ear while Anne came down after them.

“I want you and your monkeys out of my house right now!” Richard ordered. “And take your Eddie’s Banana Factory with you.”

“Richard, please calm down,” Anne said after him. “Nothing happened.”

“You go back upstairs to your room,” Richard barked.

“Don’t let him scare you, Nanette,” Edward said to Anne, tried to go to her. But he was blocked by Richard. “Do not even dare to mistreat my Nanette! If she lost one hair, I’ll…I’ll…”

“You’ll what?” Richard gave him a death glare.

“I’m going to tell my mom! And she will tell your mom!”

Richard looked at him with disbelief. “Get your butt out of here, before I call the police and file complaint.” Then he turned to his Glee Club boys, “Leave before I call your parents. Unlike me, you are still in high school and thus you can still be _grounded_!”

With that said, the Glee Club boys fled the scene. One of them turned and said to Richard, “She wants to see you naked.”

After they all left, Richard shut the door and locked it.

“Richard, how could you?” Anne asked, still half-awake. “They are nice people from my school.”

“Just go to your room,” Richard didn’t even turn to look at her.

“I’m not going to my room,” Anne said weakly but willingly. “I don’t understand you. I am sick and Edward came over to take care of me. Look how many bananas he brought me!”

Richard let out a weak laugh. “Bananas? What are you, a monkey? Don’t you know that banana is the most difficult fruit to digest? And you honestly think you can eat this all before they go bad? I guarantee you, you’ll be stuffed to death before you even finish half of these!”

“Well at least he cared! He treats me like I exist!” She argued. “Unlike you.”

“Care for you? That nutcase?” Richard snarled. “He does not care for _you_ , he cares for an imaginary character named _Nanette_.”

“Nanette is his special name for me,” Anne defended Edward. “Edward is a little different, but at least he is nice.”

“Oh really? What kind of a nice guy would take advantage of a girl who is ill and sleeping?”

“He did not,” Anne said. “He was there to keep me warm.”

“By touching lip to lip?”

“You know what? I’m going back to my room,” Anne felt lightheaded again. “I’m not in the mood to argue.”

Watching her stumping back to her room, Richard shook his head and grabbed a cup of the banana shake and took a sip. Instantly, he spitted out into the sink and his face twisted with disgust.

***

The next day, Kate came by after Richard called. She knocked the door and Richard yelled, “It’s open!”

Kate came to the kitchen and found Richard pouring cherries into the mixture. “What are you making?” she asked.

“Cherry shakes,” Richard muttered. “I did some research, and it is evidence-based that it’s good for your health.”

“And those bananas?”

“Oh yeah,” Richard looked at her pleadingly. “Please take these back to your dorms and share it with whoever you like. Donate it to homeless shelter if you need to.”

“Is this for Anne?” Kate smirked.

“Yes, and no,” Richard said as he wiped his hands. “Her father called and I promise that she’ll be fine under my roof. So, I don’t want to present her sick and dying when he comes back.”

“Really?” Kate raised an eyebrow. “And what are these?”

The kitchen table was filled with first aid items and over-the-counter medications.

“I need your help. Can you identify the ones to help her condition?” Richard asked.

Kate laughed. “Richard, you bought the entire CVS pharmacy!”

Richard said nothing.

“Richard, tell her!”

“Tell her what?”

“You know,” Kate said secretively.

“I have nothing to tell her,” Richard insisted. “And she doesn’t want to talk to me either.”

“Why? What happened? Did you yell at her again?”

“I came home, and found a bunch of high school monkeys in my kitchen making these disgusting banana shakes,” Richard explained. “And they told me that it was Edward Lancaster who brought them here; he was alone with Anne in her bedroom. I freaked out and went upstairs. That bastard Edward Lancaster was taking advantage on her while she was sleeping! And he gave her a very inappropriate sex toy!”

“What sex toy?”

“This!” Richard showed her; it was the stuffed Banana in Pajamas. “I don’t know what this is. But my first impression, like looks like penis from Nazi Concentration Camp!”

Kate laughed uncontrollably. Finally, after laughing for five minutes, she calmed down and asked, “What happened next?”

“I threw Edward out, along with his monkey friends,” Richard said. “She got mad at me. That girl has absolutely no common sense! I don’t know what she saw in that Edward Lancaster when she insisted that he cares for her. That guy couldn’t even get her name right! If I left him alone with her any longer, he’d probably killed her. Meanwhile, she accused me being cold and I spent over two hours at CVS getting all these medicines for her.”

Kate laughed again.

“What’s so funny?” Richard was annoyed.

“Richard York, you are so in love,” Kate teased. “Come on, admit it! If this is a clinical trial, then it’s definitely a pass!”

“I’m not in love with that girl!”

“Yes you are!” Kate pointed at the medicines and first-aid items on the table. “Why would you do this for her if you don’t care? And why blowing the worst accusation against that Edward kid? You are jealous!”

Richard rolled his eyes.

Kate held up Banana in Pajamas and said in a straight face, “This is ‘Banana in Pajamas’, a character from a kid’s cartoon long time ago. It’s not a sex toy.” Then something caught her attention. “Aww, Richard!”

It was a gigantic teddy bear sitting on the couch.

“Is this for Anne?”

“Yeah,” Richard admitted unwillingly. “Since I’m taking that thing away from her, I might just well compensate her with something else.”

In comparison, Banana in Pajamas looked undeniably cheap.

***

Richard knocked on her door.

“Go away,” a muffled voice came behind the door.

“You have to eat, Anne,” Richard insisted.

“Death is better.”

Frustrated, Richard opened the door and went in. Anne turned away from him and folded her pillow against her ears.

Richard put down the tray and sat on her bed.

“See, now you are on my bed too while I’m resting,” Anne snorted tearfully. “What are your intentions?”

“I come here to talk to you,” Richard said after a long pause.

“We have nothing to talk about,” Anne sniffed. “You are mean to me since I came here. You made me do all these chores I hate. You yell at me for making small mistakes. You show me no care after I got sick. You kicked out my friends. And you take away my stuffed animal.”

“Anne, I’m doing what’s the best for you,” Richard said not too genuinely. “How can you let a guy like that in your room while you are sleeping? What could’ve happened if I wasn’t there? Why? You want to present your father his very first grandchild after he returns?”

“Edward is not that type of guy,” Anne insisted. “He’s weird, but not a pervert.”

“What do you want?”

“I want my house back,” Anne started weeping. “I want my parents back. I want to come home and see loving faces. I want to hear the news reporting that Principle Stanley got ran over by a truck. I want people to stop asking me to the prom. Maybe it’s the best for everyone if I disappeared into that sinkhole along with my house.”

“Anne, you know that’s not true,” Richard chuckled.

“Yes, it is. At least for you,” Anne continued to cry. “You hated me for being here. You want me to disappear. You only keep me here so my Dad can write you a recommendation.”

After a long silence, Anne blurted out, “I don’t belong here.”

“I’m sorry,” Richard finally said.

“Yeah right,” Anne snorted. Then she found a gigantic teddy bear in her face. “What is this?”

“This is to prove to you that I’m sorry,” Richard said. “See, unlike what Edward gave you, this is high quality; it’s big; it’s comfortable to hold; and it’s friendly.”

Without a word of gratitude, Anne pulled the teddy bear in her arms and laid her head against it. “You know Richard, everyone in my family tells me how good looking you are. Izzy said that you look like Ewan McGregor, that guy from _Moulin Rouge_. But to me, you look like a frog.”

“Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit,” Richard joked.

“And Dad talks about you a lot, saying what a fine attorney you’ll be. But one day, I promise, you will lose in my hand. I will defeat you and leave you naked!”

“Stop saying that,” Richard laughed. “Now I know where that phrase originated from. People in your school are saying that you want to divorce me after seeing me naked.”

Finally, after a long while, Anne turned to face him. Her eyes were still red from crying.

“You should eat,” Richard said to her.

“I’m not hungry,” Anne said. Then she blurted out, “Can you stay?”

“Anne, that’s not appropriate to ask from a guy,” Richard said sternly.

“I’m eighteen, and a legal adult,” Anne insisted. “I admit, I shouldn’t let Edward be in my room to begin with. But I know what I want this time.”

“Anne—“

“I heard the conversation between you and Francis,” Anne said. “What were you about to tell him before that truck interrupted?”

Richard found himself tongue-tied. “Nothing.”

“That’s a lie!” Anne’s tone turned sharp.

Richard got up and walked to the door. Then he turned, “Eat your food, and don’t think of anything unhealthy. Remember your appointment with Dr. William Hastings tomorrow. Be nice.”

Anne let out a disappointed sigh and pulled up the cover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see the hints and jokes between Richard and Edward? These are the hints on what's eventually going to happen...


	8. Edward and His Mother

“Let’s talk, Miss Neville,” Dr. William Hastings, a man in his early fifties, pulled his chair and sat before Anne. “I looked over your past medical records and reviewed the test results, my conclusion is that you are having asthma.”

 _Asthma,_ Anne thought. _Exactly what Kate told me._

“The good news is,” Dr. Hastings continued. “That it is not fatal. The bad news is that unfortunately, to this day, there is no cure.”

“What do you mean by that?” Anne asked, followed by coughs.

Dr. Hastings gave his medical assistant a nod, and she handed her a tissue and a cup of water. “There is disease management, that means medication and healthy lifestyle can alleviate your condition; you can still live a long life. But, this disease will forever plague you.”

“So, what triggers my cough?” Anne asked. “Is it the weather? Air?”

Dr. Hastings laughed. “I see you done your own homework. Based on what you told me, it’s highly possible that your coughs are triggered by your nervousness.” He paused and then asked her, “How is your life, Anne, if you don’t mind me asking. Is everything well?”

“No,” Anne replied honestly. “Pressures are everywhere. My life is miserable.”

His medical assistant giggled after hearing her. “Honey, you are too young to say that.”

Dr. Hastings glared at her, “Let her finish.”

Anne patted the medical assistant. “You have no idea. I am waiting to hear back from Columbia; my house fell into a sinkhole; I’m running the prom committee and people are difficult to please; my high school principle hates me; my parents are out of town. And ironically, people who cause me troubles are somehow related to one another. I have a stalker, who is my school superintendant’s son; my former doctor’s crazy MA is my principle’s wife.”

“Wow,” Dr. Hastings shook his head. “Seems you are having a tough year. Where are you living now?”

“I’m living in a house with a…”

“A housemate?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s that going?”

Anne sighed. “Not well. Richard—“

“Richard York?” Dr. Hastings raised an eyebrow.

“Please don’t tell me he’s your nephew or cousin third-times-removed,” Anne said half-jokingly.

“My godson,” Dr. Hastings told her. “How is he?”

“Difficult, bossy, mean, tightfisted,” Anne said. “But not bad looking and applying law school.”

Dr. Hastings laughed. “That boy is still the same.” He turned and took out a photo, showing to her. It was a picture of a man with four boys; the man remarkably resembled Richard, only older. He was holding a little boy who was about eight; besides him stood a young man about eighteen, a boy about fourteen, and another boy about twelve or thirteen, who was making an annoying face.

“This is Richard’s father, his namesake. You know there were originally four York boys,” he told her. “Richard and Edmund resembled their father while Ed and George took after their mother. Richard and Edmund were close; and Richard had a special bond with his Dad. And then one day, when Edmund got his driver’s license and drove his Dad for the first time, the car flipped. I still don’t know the details. Edmund died instantly; his Dad was in a vegetative state. Richard stayed by his Dad’s side and refused to leave; he was only twelve. His Dad remained in that coma until one day he choked on his vomit. It was horrible for Richard, as if Edmund and his Dad left him without a goodbye.”

“That’s terrible,” Anne muttered.

“Ed and his mom Cecily worked hard to bring up George and Richard. George is well, George. Richard grew up more and more resembled their father, and he is a smart boy. You know he had a back surgery in high school and missed his prom. As result, his family basically indulged him to his difficult personality and behavior.”

 _I guess I’m the first person who said anything unpleasant to him,_ Anne thought. _Starting from that evening at that restaurant._

“Well, we’re getting alone better. He apologized—“

“He apologized?” Dr. Hastings asked in disbelief. “He actually said the words ‘I’m sorry’?”

Anne nodded. “He did, after I gave him a couple days of silence. And he gave me a teddy bear.”

Dr. Hasting chuckled. “I think you two will get along fine. And FYI – he never apologized to anyone, at least not since he lost his father.”

***

Richard unhappily came to Ed’s house. His mom Cecily called him and asked him to come by, saying it was an important family matter. Her tone, however, did not sound as urgent. Richard was clueless on what his mother was up to.

When he entered the living room, surprisingly, he found Cecily, Ed, Liz, George, and Izzy there along with Edward Lancaster and a middle-aged woman. He safely assumed that she was his mother, the school superintendant.

 _I will tell my mom, and she will tell your mom!_ Edward did say that.

“Richard, glad that you’re here. Come join us,” Cecily smiled. “This is my friend Margaret. We went to college together.”

“Nice to meet you,” Richard said evenly without a smile.

It was then he noticed that Edward’s right ear was bandaged. _Oh really?_ He thought.

“It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Richard,” Margaret greeted him coldly. “My son told me that you are bullying and tormenting his friend, Anne Neville. Is it true? He said that you live like a King and made her your kitchen maid. She worked so hard to the point she fell ill.”

Cecily looked at Richard in shock. “Is it true?”

“Anne only had a fever,” Richard explained nonchalantly. “I guarantee you she is not my kitchen maid. Had she been my kitchen maid, she’d be fired long ago.”

Izzy covered her mouth to prevent herself from giggling.

“Her fever is gone now,” he continued. “I made her cherry juice and it certainly helped.”

Edward nearly jumped out of his seat hearing that; Margaret held him down.

“And my son? Why did you physically hurt him?” Finally Margaret showed her anger.

“Because your son is trying to molest Anne while she was sleeping,” Richard said evenly. “I saw him; Anne was resting in bed while your son was on top of her, touching lip to lip. It was obviously without consent since Anne was not awake. While he was up there, he had his friends making noises downstairs in the name of making banana shake to cover up the possible noises of his immoral acts.”

Everyone became silent.

“Anne already told me that you barged in forcefully without her permission,” Richard continued. “By disguise yourself as UPS delivery man. She never told you where she lives or why she was absent from school. In addition, she did ask you to leave, but you did not. You took advantage of her at her weakest moment. This is a felony.”

“I DID NOT DO ANYTHING!” Edward lashed out at Richard. “I know that my Nanette was ill, because my heart beats above hers. Our souls are one and forever will be. My poor Nanette is living in a house without love and care. I have to come save my Nanette. Even if she were to die, she will die in my arms.”

“Who’s Nanette?” Izzy asked in confusion.

“Are you trying to tell us something or are you reciting a poem?” Ed chimed.

Edward paid no attention to either of them. “In life, all you need is love. Life without love, that’s terrible.”

“Back to my son’s injury,” Margaret interrupted him. “You see this? You twisted his ear so hard that he had to go to ER.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” Richard said.

“You deny you hurt my son?”

“It’s true, that I did use some physical force to save your son from committing a felony – rape. But whatever happened to that ear, I have nothing to do with it.”

“Oh really? Do you have any evidence?” Margaret questioned.

“Fine. Edward, tell your mother what happened yourself,” Richard turned to Edward.

Edward stood and acted out everything he said. “I was watching over my sweet Nanette as her chest rise up and down like an ocean. She is so irresistible. She coughed once a while, it was so besotting and sad, because I feel her life was slipping away from me like water between my fingers. She was shivering, so I decided to sacrifice my honor and use heat from my body to warm her. How could any man resist her? Before I know it, my lips were on hers. It was nothing inappropriate, it was pure platonic and symbolic. I, Edward Lancaster, will not do anything coitus before marriage.

“And then, there was he!” He pointed at Richard. “Barged in on me and forcefully separated me from my Nanette. As he pulled me away, my Nanette ran after me with her hair flowing behind her, reaching out her arms, crying out for me—“

“Okay, how did I pull you away?” Richard asked in a straight face. “By which ear?”

“Left!” He pointed at his bandaged right ear.

“Then why is your right ear being the injured one?” Richard asked again. “Your left ear seems fine to me.”

Looked like Edward was one of these individuals who couldn’t get their left or right correct, like Anne.

By now, George, Izzy, and Ed could no longer muffle their laughs.

Margaret coughed. “Well, I’m glad that’s cleared up.” She then looked at Richard, “Young man, you behave yourself. Keep in mind, Miss Neville is still a high school student. She is not subject to your slavery by any means. If she has friends over, you have no right to throw them out against her will.”

She stood and then bid Cecily goodbye. “It’s nice to see you again Cis. Take good care of your sons.”

She left with Edward.

Soon after the door closed after then, George blurted out, “What a weirdo!”

Izzy laughed so hard that she wet her pants. Quickly, she ran out of the room with George after her.

“Richard,” Cecily spoke. “You are not having problem with Anne, are you?”

“No mom, everything is fine.”

“Is any of her accusation based on any ground?”

“Well,” Richard did not know how to continue. Cecily and Ed looked at him curiously.

“I was not too happy that Ed offered her a room in my house at first. And we worked out some sort of arrangement to make things easier for both of us. We are applying schools and had other things to take care off. She helped me with my papers and assignments while I provide her food, ride, and shelter; it’s equivalent exchange. She did cook for me, only for a week. God, I cannot survive eating her iceberg lettuce, chopped apple, oatmeal, and microwaved chicken broth. But the point is, we are fine now.”

“And that Edward?”

“He’s some nutcase whose imagination needs to be toned down by some psychologists.”

“Fair enough,” Ed said.

“Speaking of which,” Richard checked his phone. “I have to pick up Anne from Dr. Hastings.”

With that said, he left.

Cecily and Ed looked at each other. Since when Richard became so proactively care for someone other than himself?

***

When Richard got to Dr. Hasting’s office, Anne was nowhere in sight.

“Richard, it’s good to see you,” Dr. Hastings greeted.

“Where’s Anne?” Richard asked.

“Didn’t you come to pick her up?”

“No, something came up and I lost track of time. Where did she go?”

Dr. Hasting’s medical assistant walked in. “Anne? Oh, she left with a young man about her age; his mom was driving.”

Hearing that, Richard bolted out of the office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something hot in the next chapter!


	9. Queen Anne vs. King Richard

Richard drove down the street and called Izzy, “Iz, do you have her friend Veronica’s number?”

“No, Richard. Why?”

“I went to Dr. Hasting’s and Anne isn’t there. She left with Edward the Psycho and his Mother.”

“What the hell?” Iz shrieked. “Oh dear….”

“I went back to my house, and Anne isn’t there!”

“Richard, calm down,” Izzy said, even though she was somewhat panicking herself. “I will call Anne. Have you?”

“Yes, but she was not picking it up.”

“I’ll have to try. I mean, I don’t know Veronica. Oh, here it is!” Izzy said. “I’ll call her and let you know.”

Richard hung up.

Where could she be?

His worst fear was that she went to the Lancaster’s house, against her will. That Edward Lancaster reminded him that creepy writer he learned about in high school. What was his name? Edgar…something Poe. Seriously, Edward’s obsession with Anne’s ill health was very similar to that short story he read. It was the most frightening story he ever read in his entire life. The narrator was besotted and infatuated with his cousin and fiancée’s dentals. His love-interest was ill and then eventually died. Readers never knew what killed her—her illness or the narrator, for he was so obsessed with her dentals that he did not even knew that she died. In the end, he was playing with a bag of her dentals with blood and dirt stained his white shirt.

Did he dig her out and removed her teeth post-mortem?

Did he murdered her by removing her teeth one by one and she died from hemorrhage?

Or did he removed her teeth and buried her alive?

The more he thought, the more scared he was.

He was scared for Anne.

And Edward knew where she lives.

He dialed Ed and asked him if he knows Margaret Anjou’s address. Anne was probably there.

“Richard, please calm down,” Ed said. “I’m sure that Anne is not there. Veronica just called Izzy and assured that Anne would rather disappear than going anywhere near his house.”

“His mother was driving!” Richard barked.

“That makes it even less likely for her to be at his place. You saw her—that bitch. There is no way that she takes Anne to her place,” Ed said at the other end. “Richard, go home. Maybe she’s there.”

Richard let out a deep sigh and turned his car around and went home.

And he found Anne sitting on the front porch.

Safe and alive.

He got out of the car quickly and ran to her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

Anne was surprised and confused.

“Richard?” She asked. “What happened? You are choking me.”

Finally, Richard released her. Grabbing her by the arm, he dragged her into the house and locked the door behind him.

“Sit,” he ordered. “Do not get out of my sight.”

He then made some calls and requested the door locks to be changed.

“Richard, did something happen?”

Finally, Richard put his phone away. He turned and looked at her, “Where the hell were you?”

Anne chuckled, “I was waiting for you to pick me up. You were no show and unfortunately my phone was out of battery. As I waited, Edward and his mom swung by and offered to take me home. I said yes, but somewhere along the way, I felt uncomfortable. His mom is really bitchy and moody today. So, I asked them to drop me off when we passed a pharmacy. I was there, picking up my medication. And then, I took the bus which took me to the station nearby and then walked back here.”

“How could you be so stupid?” Richard yelled. “Keep this in mind: from now on, I am in charge of your rides. You are to ride with no one else aside from me, or your sister or my family members. Understand?”

“What are you saying? That if you stood me up and I have to wait there until I’m dust and bone?” Anne retorted. She hated it when Richard was being bossy and lack of understanding. “I wasn’t even alone with Edward; it was his mom who offered me the ride. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Haven’t you even seen the news lately?” Richard stood by his ground. “Mother and son—the perfect crime couple. What if they were to take you somewhere you don’t even know? What if they refused to let you out of the car when you asked?”

“Edward is not that type of guy,” Anne insisted. “I admit, he is different and weird. But I guarantee you he is not a criminal or psychopath.”

“I beg to differ!”

“How long have you known him?” Anne stood. “You only met him briefly over a misunderstanding. I dated him and he is a sweet person. He is a just a little imaginary.”

“A little?” Richard shook his head. “This guy needs to be institutionalized.”

“You know what? I’m not going to continue this…argument,” Anne turned to leave. “The base of our argument is that you failed to pick me up on the agreed time and then I left with someone else without acknowledging you. You pissed me off by kept me waiting and I frustrated you by making you worry. Let’s say our nerves canceled each other out. So, why don’t we grab some ice cream, go do our homework, and watch some TV.”

“Oh this is your strategy of handling argument—walk away,” Richard snarled. “Is this how you going to handle your cases as a lawyer? ‘Oh your honor, this case has no ground. Why don’t we all order some yogurts and watch ‘Once Upon a Time’ and put this all behind us?’”

“You are unbelievable!” Anne laughed. “Are you making fun of me now? You think you can make a better attorney? I bet 50% of your cases will come to nothing because your clients’ attorney is a constant no show. Oh yeah, that attorney of theirs is you!”

“Well, at least I know that my legal career is on its way because I just found out that I got into Columbia law school. Have you even heard back from any school yet? I doubt it. I think when the admission offices look at your profile, they’d notice that you, Anne Neville, hangs out with weirdos, a failing cook, and can’t get your right and left correct. And FYI – that’s something you have in common with that crazy Edward.”

“Edward is not crazy and I am not going to remind you again,” Anne was now furious. “And second of all, what do my experiences in cooking and direction have anything to do with my admission?”

“Sooner or later, they’ll realize that admitting you is a mistake!”

“Enough!” Anne threw her hands in the air. “You know what, compared to you, Edward is sweet and gentle. I wish you can be more like him.”

“What did you say?” Richard’s eyes were getting dangerous.

“I’m not going to repeat myself,” Anne raised her chin. “And I have to say, that I am no longer subject myself to your rules. I do whatever I please! This house is now under the reign of Queen Anne!”

“Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?”

“Do you have any idea how nasty your face look? Seriously, stop playing the evil King Richard III before you grow a hunchback and a withered arm.”

“For your information, King Richard III is a talented administrator and a brilliant warrior! Queen Anne has done nothing aside from eating and being manipulated by her false friends! I suggest you stay away from the thought of being Queen Anne before you grow fat and moving around in an electronic wheelchair!”

“At least I can be really rich as Queen Anne since the best quality furniture bears my name!”

“I can be really rich too. Do you know how many adaption of _Richard III_ on stage and on screen? It means endless royalties!”

“At least Queen Anne had a royal burial when she died. Richard III’s body was only recently discovered under parking lot—and naked!”

“Which makes him more fascinated than ever! And people are rallying for the best burial for him! How many people cared for Queen Anne? Or even known her existence? All she was known for was being fat and so fat that they had to make her coffin square!”

“Richard York, you think you are so great, so good looking, so smart, so brilliant! Well, that’s only because your family indulged you because of your family tragedies. Let me tell you the truth: you are a jerkass who thinking that the world should revolve around you! You rebuke at others for making the smallest mistakes even you are not great yourself. Like when I made that salad for you the first week I’m here. I washed it very carefully even though there was only one small black dot on one of the lettuces. Nobody could notice it, but you did! And you gave me a 60 minute lecture on it. Get a life! You have the worst personality there is. And don’t you dare to underestimate me! One day, I WILL MARRY you in court and SEE YOU NAKED!”

She suddenly stopped and realized what she just said.

“I mean…I mean…” Anne started stuttering and blushing.

And Richard started laughing. “How long have you imagined that in your dirty little mind?”

“Never!” Anne denied. “Well, don’t look at me like that. You…you have feelings for me as well!”

“Why’d you think that?”

“Based on my own instinct and confessions from your friends,” Anne said. “Kate told me that you talked about me a lot; I heard the conversation between you and Francis that night driving back from Jersey; when I confronted you, you avoided to answer me but did not deny; and Dr. Hastings told me that you never apologize to anyone, except with me.”

She looked at him. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Richard. But that moment when you held me today, I knew. If you don’t care for me, you wouldn’t react like how you did today.”

And after a moment of silence, she blurted out, “Yes, I do want to see you naked.”

With that said, she went to her room.

And Richard followed.

“What?” Anne turned as Richard closed the door behind him.

“I…I don’t like it when you are pushing me away when I’m trying to protect you,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“Every time when I’m doing something good for you, you turn your back on me and twist it into something else.”

“Like when?”

“Like today. I drove around the town like crazy after Dr. Hastings told me that you went with Edward. I was late today because Edward and his mother went to my mom’s house to tell on me.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Edward got his right ear bandaged while accusing me hurting his left,” Richard laughed. “You should’ve seen his describing what happened that day. He doesn’t care for you, Anne. He is living in an imaginary daydream of you being a character named Nanette. This is someone who rather sees you die in his arms than have you live in a normal happy life. And you are accusing me of being judgmental.”

Now Anne felt guilty. “I’m sorry.”

She sat on her bed and said, “Look, when it comes to guys, I’m just not that experienced. Like when you say that Edward don’t’ care for me, makes me wonder how does a man loves a woman?”

“Would you like me to show you?” Richard asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Edgar Allan Poe story that I'm referring to is called "Berenice", which is one of his most disturbing tale ever.
> 
> Queen Anne that Anne compared herself to was Queen Anne of Great Britain, not Queen Anne Neville.
> 
> I know you are going to kill me. I did say this chapter will be hot, but I did not say it's hot from love-making.


	10. Sex Ed 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fine, since you are all dying for it, here it is.
> 
> Hopefully it can bring you back to life!

“Do you like me to show you?” Richard said as he approached.

Anne was a little nervous. She never hit anywhere further than base one, let alone a homerun.

But, she found Richard irresistible. “How are you going to show me?”

Richard sat by her side. “You can choose: either you want me to show you verbally or physically.”

Anne thought for a moment. “Let’s do verbally, first.”

Richard laughed at that response and tipped her on the nose. “When a man loves a woman, he loves her for who she is. So, like this girl before me, she is clumsy; she is a poor cook; she makes odd choices from time to time; and she coughs. But that’s who she is. Let’s say, if someone like an angel fell from the sky, that man would still prefer this girl over that angel because that angel is not her.”

“I know that,” Anne said.

“I’m not done yet,” Richard raised a finger and moved a strand of her hair. “The man finds that woman he loves makes him complete—emotionally and physically. Emotionally, that woman is his other half. He trusts her, rants to her, speaks his mind to her. Physically, he desires her. Nothing can make him more fulfilled than holding her into his arms and becomes one. It’s like two pieces of puzzle—fit together and complete the picture.”

“So…how do two people physically become one?” Anne asked, staring at her hands.

“Well, you need to find out yourself.”

“Tell me!” Anne almost whined.

“I can’t,” Richard said. “Because it can only be learned through experience.”

“Then show me,” Anne looked into his eyes.

“You sure?”

“100%” Anne said as she moved over so that Richard could join her. Lying down next to her, Richard pulled her into his arms. Anne closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the warmth of his body. This was much better than holding a stuffed animal.

Soon she began to wonder about that body underneath his shirt.

Suddenly, she felt funny down there.

“Sorry, I need to pee,” she said and ran to the bathroom.

After she returned, she climbed back to bed and into his arms. “You see now?” Richard said.

“See what?”

Rolling on top of her, Richard stroked his finger against her skin and started to give her lessons. “When a man is lying next to the woman he loves, he wants to press her against him without any space between them. Once a woman felt loved, she started to feel different here and here.”

The pointed to her breasts and to her G-spot.

“What happens at these spots?” Anne asked innocently.

“Well, for here,” he pointed at her breasts. “It’s the nipples that will be hardened. When two people make love, they usually have their cloth off. Combined from passion and cold air exposure, the nipple hardens.” Then he loved his hand down close to her g-spot. “As for here, you’ll feel wet. That is a sign that you are ready for a man to enter you. If this is your first time, it will hurt because the penetration will break through your hymen—but only once in a lifetime.”

“Continue,” Anne wanted to hear more.

“After the man enters a woman, he will continue thrusts in and out. When it happens, you will feel like flying into the sky. You may be scared at first, but soon you will love it and want it. While the man enters a woman, his hands will touch her here and there along with kisses.”

“What happens afterwards?”

Richard lied back down. “Usually, both will be exhausted and thus fell asleep in each other’s arms. But not all the times; sometimes they take this opportunity to share their little secrets; sometimes, they go grab some wine; or go take a shower.”

 _Wow, this is much better than health class,_ Anne thought.

“When was your first time?” Anne asked.

“Back in freshman year,” Richard told her as he stroked her hair.

“Was it her first time too?”

“Yeah.”

Anne said nothing more. She simply enjoyed being held by Richard—it made her feel warm, safe, and protected. As she closed her eyes, she felt Richard’s lips getting closer and closer to hers. She moaned softly as he kissed her.

It was a simple kiss, but Anne wanted more. When he pulled away, she leaned up, a gesture asking for more.

Richard laughed at her response and happily gave her another kiss, deeper this time.

Anne felt as if a key has opened a lock inside of her. A series of passions and pleasure released and emotional barriers removed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked her thighs against his sides. When Richard pulled away for air, Anne’s eyes were now wide open and touched his face, tracing his features.

“You are just so handsome,” she muttered. “Orlando Bloom can go home cry.”

“Shh,” Richard pressed his finger against her lips. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek and then on her throat. But as he approached the valley of her breasts, Anne stopped him.

“Wait,” she suddenly felt shy. “I think we can stop here for today. I’m not ready to go that far yet, at least not now.”

Letting out a sigh, Richard rolled off her. “Well, at least you learned the basics. Soon, you will be ready.”

“Like when?”

“You’ll know.”

***

That night, Anne had a hard time sleeping. Toss and turn, she could not stop thinking about Richard.

His touch, his kiss, his scent.

Edward was only a boy with imaginations. But Richard was a man.

Silently, she got out of the bed and took out small box from her purse. She halted for a second, then removed her pants. Wearing only a t-shirt and her VS panties, she went to Richard’s room.

She knocked and said loudly, “It’s Anne.”

“Of course, come in.”

Anne opened the door and found him in bed. “I have trouble sleeping. You mind if I join you here?”

“Not at all,” he patted next to him.

She put down the box on his nightstand and then climbed into bed.

“What’s this?” Richard took that box and then smirked. “I cannot believe you’d get this.”

“Well, when I was at the pharmacy, I thought about it for some reasons. So, I bought one.”

Without another word, he got out of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Anne asked, wondering if she scared him away.

To answer her question, Richard turned his back to her and started to remove his clothes. After he was done, Anne was completely besotted by his body. His skin was pale; his body was slightly built and muscular; and his buns were sexy.

“You did say that you want to see me naked, so there you go,” he smiled as he turned. “I have nothing to hide from you. My only secret is the scar on my back.”

“Let me see.”

He sat on the bed as she ran her hands over his back. The scar was dimmed but obvious.

She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her face against his skin. Now she wanted to feel his body against hers.

“I have a scar too,” she murmured.

“Where?” Richard was amused.

“You have to find it.”

“More than happy to,” he smirked as he laid her down on her back. Running his fingers against her slender legs, he found no scar. “Is it here?” he asked as he lifted her shirt, revealing her belly.

But no scar.

He pushed her shirt up further and further and found her wearing a bra.

“Why are you wearing this?” he asked as his hand stroked her bare torso.

“Because I’d enjoy it when you take it off me,” Anne replied playfully.

“Turn,” he instructed and she lied on her belly. He pushed her shirt up and then pulled it over her head.

“You find my scar yet?” Anne asked while enjoying his finger touching her skin.

“I see it,” Richard tapped his finger against it. “It’s a small one by your upper left shoulder. How did you get it?”

“An accident back when I was a kid,” Anne muttered. “And I have a tattoo as well.”

“Where?”

“Find it,” Anne teased playfully.

“Stop teasing me,” Richard scorned her as he moved down her bra’s strap.

“The clip is in the front,” Anne told him as she turned on her back. She lied there as Richard unclipped her bra and removed it from her.

Boy, it was sexy.

Richard drew lines around her breasts and kissed her nipples.

“I don’t see your tattoo here,” he said as he moved his hands away from her breasts. “I think it must be here then.”

He kissed her belly as he pulled down her panties. Just as he expected, Anne had a small white rose tattooed by her hip. He kissed it too.

Now both of them were equally naked.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

Richard climbed on top of her and started to kiss her as he caressed her breast with one hand and her side with his other. Anne moaned as his lips moved to her neck. She bent her back underneath him and stroked his back. Soon she felt wet.

Moving his hand down to her feminine part, he teased her down there as he placed his mouth over her nipple.

Anne could hardly stay still.

Feeling she was ready, he rolled on top of her again and wrapped her legs around his waist. He continued to shower kisses on her face, her neck, and her breasts as he thrust into her.

It was painful, more than she thought. Tears filled her eyes and her hands were shaking.

“Breath,” he whispered as he stroked her hair. “You want me to stop?”

She shook her head. “No.”

He thrust into her again and continued. The pain was still there, but the pleasure was too much to resist.

Richard was right.

She did feel like flying.

As he pulled out of her, both of them were breathing heavily. Richard rested his head against her breasts as Anne stroked his hair.

***

It was indeed a special night, at least for Anne.

As she snuggled against Richard, she couldn’t help but wondering what Richard thought about her body.

“Am I too skinny?” she asked.

“No, you’re perfect; but you do need to eat more,” he told her.

“My breasts are small.”

“No, they are fine as they are.”

“Well, from biology class, I learned that eventually they’ll get bigger from pregnancy and breastfeeding.”

“That’s too soon for you. As for now, they are only to serve my pleasure.”

“So this is how a man loves a woman,” she grinned.

“That I don’t know,” he said. “But I do know this is how I love you.”

Anne laughed at that. “Richard, what would you do if I die from lung cancer or TB?”

“I’ll throw you into a morgue, collect your insurance, and carry on with my life.”

“Really?” Anne was hurt by this response.

“No,” he pulled her closer. “I’d be heartbroken. Trust me, you do not want to lose anyone you love. I don’t even wish it for my worst enemy.”

“Well, good news. Dr. Hastings told me that I’m not having any fatal disease, which means I won’t die on you,” she said as she pressed her hand against his heart. “Bad news is that I’m having asthma, which means lifelong medication and management.”

“As long as you’re living, that’s all it matters.” He kissed her on top of her head. “Go to sleep. We got classes tomorrow.”

Anne closed her eyes and felt his chest rise and falls.

Good enough to let her sleep for thousands of years.


	11. Welcome to Married Life

Anne happily relaxed next to Richard as he played his guitar.

She did not know that he got music in his genes.

She should get back to her readings for she had an exam coming up. Yet, with Richard before her, she could not focus.

As he put his guitar away, Anne put down her book and laid her head on his lap.

“Shouldn’t you be studying?” Richard asked in a rather husky voice and touched her face.

“Maybe,” Anne said. “But I can’t focus.”

Lazily, she told him, “Dad called and told me that he already got a house in order so that when he and Mom come back, we have somewhere to go.”

“Looking forward to your new home already?” Richard sounded a little disappointed. “This is not your home?”

Anne let out a sigh. “I love being here, I mean, I wake up next to you; we dress each other; eat together; argue; fight and make-up. I feel like I’ve living here forever to the point that I don’t think I can be anywhere but here. However, like Dad is ever going to allow that.”

“Tell him, then,” Richard said half-jokingly.

“Right, and he can kill you afterwards,” Anne giggled. “By the way, he informed me to tell you that he is very grateful that you take me in.”

Then she remembered something. “Did you check the mail today?”

“I did.”

“Nothing from Columbia?”

“No.”

Anne was disappointed. “That’s my early-decision; I really want to go there. Now, I think my chances are low as ever.”

“Don’t say that,” Richard comforted her. “Many applicants get their notification very last minute and often, it’s a pleasant surprise. Besides, there are other schools in NYC.”

“I know, but since you are going there for your JD, I thought it’d be better if I go to Columbia as well,” Anne said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the chin. “God, I cannot imagine myself elsewhere without you. This sucks!”

Richard laughed at that. “Anne, you brought me so much annoyance and happiness.”

He kissed her on the nose.

“You know, I told Edward off today,” Anne said as she rolled a strand of hair around her fingers. “I told him that I don’t have any serious lung disease and that the doctor says I’m healthy and will live a long life.”

“And what did he say?” Richard asked curiously.

“Nothing, actually,” Anne giggled. “He just walked away with his head bowed.”

“Sometimes I’m wondering how he turned out this way,” Richard said, stroking her hair. “A boy that wrapped in his imaginary world.”

“From what I heard, his Dad is a weirdo himself,” Anne told him. “Edward told me that his grandfather is a Vietnam War vet who died three months after his father’s birth and that his grandmother remarried very soon after. I don’t know what his life was like with his stepdad, but maybe it caused him…problems. Anyway, I never met him, but I heard that he is so wrapped in that imaginary world of his to the point that he does not even recognize Edward as his son.”

“Is he getting help?”

“Not that I know of,” Anne said. “Edward’s mother is taking care of him. I guess no one can stand her aside from a man crazy like that. Edward’s mother is so controlling and overbearing. I don’t think she allowed him to have friends, so Edward pretty much used these romantic literatures to fulfill his needs.”

“Now that makes perfect sense,” Richard muttered. “You think that his mother will give you hard times because you told him off?”

“Probably not,” Anne said, but not too confidently. “I mean, as school superintendant, she has so much other things to do other than give me hard times. Plus, I believe she’s rather happy that he’s off my back.”

“Well, I can tell you I sleep better knowing he’s not crazy about you anymore,” he laughed.

“Because of your jealousy or care?” Anne teased.

“Both,” he admitted.

“So what’s for dinner tonight?” Anne asked, changing the subject.

“I don’t know, but…I certainly want to eat you first,” he said as he kissed her on the lips.

***

Days went by like a torture for Anne. She checked her email by the second and went to the mailbox by the minute, hoping to hear back from Columbia.

Richard said that she was driving both of them crazy.

“Calm down, this is not the end of the world!” he told her.

Finally, the notification came.

She was on the wait list.

“Wait list?” Anne felt like she fell from the swing.

“It’s not the same as rejection,” Veronica tried to make her feel better; she found out that she got accepted by SUNY. “You still have a chance.”

“It’s not that,” Anne let out a sigh. “Dad always talk about Richard. ‘Richard got accepted by Ivy Leagues early decision’, ‘Richard is the valedictorian of his class, ‘Richard is this’, ‘Richard is that’. I hate it, as if Izzy and I were never good enough to be his kids. I so hoped that he can say something nicer when I told him that I got elected president of the prom committee.”

“Do you like Richard?” Veronica teased.

“No,” Anne looked away, blushing.

“Really?” Veronica did not let it go. “I saw you drawing frogs all over your notes, frogs wearing crowns.”

“What does that have to do with me liking Richard?”

“You admit it!” Veronica pointed her finger in excitement. “Remember you said that Richard is ugly as a frog and I called him ‘the king’? Just an advice, don’t kiss him or else he will forever be your king.”

“I take your advice to the heart,” Anne promised.

Yeah right.

She did more than just kiss him.

***

Thanksgiving went by and Anne spent it with the Yorks. Cecily proved to be an excellent cook; she and Liz waged war in the kitchen, competing who makes the best pumpkin pie. Poor Ed was caught in between, especially when both women asked who made the better one. But Anne paid no attention; all she cared about was revising her application essay and her chances to other schools. Sometimes she wondered if she really overestimated herself and maybe she was not the Ivy League type.

Her presidency went fine. The Principal Stanley continued to give her hard time, but luckily he had no support. No one in school liked him, from faculty to freshman students. People were in fact admired Anne’s spirit standing up to him.

She hadn’t seen much of Edward lately.

And she was quite relieved.

Yet, somewhere in her heart, she felt Edward left a void. As annoying as he was, Anne had to admit that he did have an innocent, good heart.

She heard that he left the Glee Club.

And then she heard that he was absent from school for two weeks.

She hoped that she did not do him any damage.

***

After Thanksgiving, then it was Christmas.

And then the New Year.

Anne and Izzy talked to their parents on Skype and their Dad was very eager to speak with Richard. He congratulated him on this admission to Columbia law school while Anne made faces off-screen.

And she kissed Richard when the ball dropped.

She pretended that she only did it because Richard was the only single guy in the house.

***

After the holidays, things became less intense. They did not need to hide their relationship from Izzy and Richard’s family; Richard did not need to worry about his grades as much since he was all set. He decided he could live with alphabet B on his grade report. Instead of worrying about his grades, he focused on helping Anne, academically and mentally.

Seriously, Anne was driving him insane.

Lying back against the pillows, he looked over her application essay for the 10th time while Anne was finishing reading her book for her literature class.

“It’s fine,” he told her.

“Really?” Anne asked.

“Anne, sweetheart, I read it ten times. If you ask me to read it again, then I’d need to file for divorce,” he then paused. “Did I just say that?”

Anne laughed. “We are so married. I can’t believe I turned down party invites because I don’t want to be asked out by other guys.”

She leaned against him and kissed him on the cheek.

Then her phone rang; it was Veronica.

“Veronica? What’s up?” Anne spoke on the phone while Richard nuzzled her neck. “Yes…no, it’s nothing…I’m just a little gigglish today…no, I am not fantasying Richard…Ouch! It’s nothing, I just walked into something….You need me to go on a double-date with you…I can’t…Well…it’s because….I still need to focus on my college application…fine…one night…Ouch! Don’t worry it’s nothing! I will meet you and…Ouch! No, I am not being bitten by anything I swear! Okay, what’s he like? Fine…I’ll see him and…I’ll talk to you later goodbye!”

She hung up and tried to pull out of Richard’s embrace, but found Richard too strong to fight against; he pinched her and tickled her throughout her conversation with Veronica.

“I don’t like you seeing other guys,” Richard told her seriously.

“It’s Veronica and her boyfriend,” Anne assured him. “They had a fight, and in a process of breakup-make-up. Her boyfriend has this cousin and she just thought maybe we should all go out together.”

“I don’t like that,” Richard repeated. “I’m not a fan of wife-swap.”

“Richard, nothing will happen,” Anne promised. “It will only be this once. Plus, Veronica and I hadn’t hanged out as much recently with everything happening. You can use this time to hang out with Rob and Francis.”

“I certainly can,” Richard nodded. “Boy, we are like a married couple.”

“I promise you that nothing will happen between that cousin and I. No one can replace you,” Anne said sincerely.

“Prove it,” Richard challenged.

Anne threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

***

The foursome was cut short, however.

Veronica’s cousin was an ordinary guy; nice, but nothing special. Anne made good friend with him, but she could not even think that he can ever fill in Richard’s shoe.

When they were in a decent conversation, Izzy called and asked her to come to Ed’s house at once.

Cecily wanted to speak to her and Richard.

 _Oh great_ , Anne thought. _What now_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait for the next chapter, your jaw will drop!


	12. Edward Over the Cuckoo Nest

“What is it now?”Anne asked not too patiently.

“I don’t know,” Richard replied as he started the car.

“You think she knows about us?”

“I never told her,” Richard assured her. “Mom never takes anything seriously until she sees it. When Ed married Liz, she refused to believe it until Ed brought Liz home, six months pregnant.”

Anne laughed a little. “You know, Veronica’s cousin, Vince; he is a nice guy. He is cool and he studies cuisine in Europe.” She stopped there and studied Richard’s reaction. He was biting his lip. “When I talked to him, I realized something.”

“What is that?” he asked.

“I realized how much you mean to me,” Anne said; Richard relaxed immediately as if the world is lifted off his shoulder. He reached out his right hand and held on to hers.

Soon, they came to Ed’s house; Cecily lived there with Ed, Liz, and their three daughters and one son. When Richard parked his car, he looked at Anne.

“I don’t know what Mom wants to speak with us about. But if she knows about us, whatever she says, I will not agree to stop seeing you.”

Anne nodded. “I know.”

***

“Oh there you two are,” Cecily greeted them warmly. “Come, we have a guest.”

At first, Anne did not think it was anything serious. Yet, once she saw the _guest_ , she felt her entire blood circulation stopped.

Before her was Margaret Anjou, the school superintendant. After Richard told her about that unforgettable incident at Ed’s house, Anne did not even want to imagine what can happen next.

“Ms. Anjou, it’s good to see you again,” Richard spoke coldly. “What performance do you have for us today? ‘To be or not to be?’”

“Richard,” Cecily scorned. “Margaret is my friend and I will not allow you to speak to her like this.”

Margaret hardly paid any attention to him. Instead, she went straight to Anne.

“Miss Neville, I need to speak with you,” she said rather urgently.

Richard stepped between the two of them. “Ms. Anjou, Anne is living under my roof and I promised his father that I keep her safe until he returns. Based on the behavior of you and your son, I cannot let her go with you unless you give me your word that you will not hurt her.”

“All right, I promise you,” Margaret said somewhat unwillingly.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Anjou?” Anne asked politely.

“Come, I have something to show you,” she said chillingly.

Anne followed Margaret to the living room, where Margaret turned on the TV screen. It was a video clip of Edward performing with his Glee Club boys. Dressed in a tux, Edward sang the _Moulin Rouge_ ’s version of “My Song”. He had a good voice.

“This was my son one year ago,” Margaret said. “He won the regional contest.”

“He is good,” Anne muttered.

Then Margaret’s tone turned bitter. “This is him now!”

On the screen, Edward stood on the stage, rocking left to right with his arms motionlessly on the side.

“What’s he doing?” Anne asked, tried not to laugh.

“You tell me!” Margaret barked at her. “Look what you have done!”

“What have I done?” Anne could not be more confused.

“You ruined my son! My one and only child!” Margaret grabbed her by the hair and pounded her with her fist. Anne screamed.

Ed ran in and separated them. Anne, frightened, ran into Cecily’s arms. Richard angrily marched to Margaret. “Get out now or I will call the police!”

“Margaret, maybe you should leave,” Cecily said to her. “Anne is only a teenager. Whatever she did, I am sure she does not deserve such treatment! Are you okay Anne?”

Shivering, Anne nodded.

Margaret stood still for a second. Then, holding up her hand, she said calmly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to lose my temper. But I am not leaving until we figure this out.”

“There is nothing more to figure out!” Richard looked at her dangerously. “Get out of my sight before I throw you out!”

Ed stepped in. “Look, let’s not start a war here. Why don’t we all calm down and talk it out?”

Richard held his breath. “You listen to me good, Margaret Anjou. You may be the school superintendant, but soon, Anne’s parents will return from Philippines. Her father, as you know, is a good lawyer. If you dare to do her any harm, you will regret it!”

Margaret gave him a hateful look.

***

The four of them sat in the living room; and then they were joined by Izzy and George. Richard called and said that Anne needed her sister because the school superintendant Margaret Anjou came and physically beat her.

Izzy and George came immediately.

All of them sat on one side facing Margaret, sitting alone on the other side.

“I did not mean to hurt you, Anne,” Margaret said not too apologetically.

Anne said nothing, brushing her hair aside. She was still shivering. Izzy placed a supporting hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s just get to the point,” Anne murmured. “What do you want?”

“My son is completely destroyed,” Margaret said, tears rolling from her eyes. “He is not eating or talking. He used to be such an active and talented kid. But now, he lost all of it.”

“What does Anne have to do with it?” Richard questioned.

“It’s all because of her!” Margaret said bitterly. “That day, he went to school as usual, but came back broken. I asked him why, and he told me that his dream is crushed. He ate very little that evening, and then hummed ‘On My Own’. After that, he refused to get out of the bed. Then he stopped eating. All he does—lying in bed and hugging that book _The Lady of the Camellias_. I took it from him, and he bit me.”

Rolling up her sleeve, she showed them the bit mark.

“Hugging that book, he mumbled ‘Nanette, Nanette.’ Nanette—that means you!”

“Anne, did you say something to Edward?” Cecily asked.

“I just told him that I don’t have TB and my doctor told me that I will live a long life,” Anne said truthfully. “He was normal after I told him that.”

“Why are you even here wasting our time?” Richard rebuked. “Your son belongs to a mental institution! He needs to get out of that imaginary world of his and come back to the world of reality!”

“My son is not insane!” Margaret yelled. “Insanity is not in my family!”

“So what then? Anne should go to South America and get TB and die?”

“I did not say that!”

“Enough!” Anne said strongly and stood. “Look, Ms. Anjou, I have a lot of respect for you. But I do not appreciate it that you come here and blame me for this. And how is blaming me going to help your son? You want to vent, fine. Now it’s out of your system, can we all move on with our lives?”

Margaret was a little stunned seeing Anne speaking to her this way.

“I want my son back, and you are the only one who can bring him back,” she said evenly.

“How do I know that Edward is indeed the way you described?” Anne asked. Somehow, she found the strength to stand up to Margaret. “You only showed me a video clip. How would I know this is not a trick?”

Margaret took out her phone and dialed.

“See for yourself.”

A few minutes later, another car pulled in the drive way. There were door knocks.

Ed got up and went to the door.

A nurse entered, pushing a wheelchair. On the wheelchair sat Edward.

He was thin and weak, with a catheter in his arm. His eyes were still, completely lack of spirit. He was still in his pajamas.

“This better be a joke,” Izzy whispered to Anne.

“I doubt it,” Anne whispered back.

The nurse took out a sandwich and handed it to Edward.

Edward made no response.

The nurse leaned down and said to him, “Edward, Nanette is here.”

Edward’s eyes immediately flickered a little. “It’s little funny…this..f…feeling in…side…”

Margaret turned her eyes to Anne.

Anne watched the scene before her in disbelief.

“Eat, Edward, or Nanette will be leaving,” the nurse coaxed.

“Can’t…can’t…see her…”

Margaret pushed Anne forward.

“She’s right here before you,” the nurse directed his eyesight to Anne. “See?”

Anne had no idea what to do.

“How wonderful life is…when you are in the world,” Anne murmured. That was the line from the first verse of that song, which Edward recited to her numerous times.

“Nanette, is that you?” Edward spoke. “Are you well? Did my bananas help?”

Anne nodded like an idiot.

“Edward, you have to eat, or Nanette will get upset,” the nurse told him. Edward immediately grabbed the sandwich and ate.

***

“This is insane!” Richard spat. “Ms. Anjou, your son belongs to a hospital, not here! He needs to see a therapist!”

“Richard,” Anne gave him a look. “Ms. Anjou, Edward has a problem and he needs help. But not like this! What do you want me to do? Stand before him 24-7?”

“Edward is not going to any hospital!”Margaret insisted. “Psych wards only torture people. They will kill him!”

“Fine then, have it your way,” Anne turned away from her. “I’m not going to stay and talk about this anymore. I can tell you now there is no way that I’m going allow you to frighten me or bully me to be your son’s imaginary object of obsession.”

Before she could leave, Margaret came before her. She fell on her knees.

“Anne, please! I beg you!” Putting aside all her pride, Margaret removed her ring, watch, and bracelet and pressed them into Anne’s palm. “I’ll give you anything! Here, this watch is Dior brand! The ring, it’s real diamond! I’ll fire William Stanley if you like! I can make you the prom queen!”

“Enough!” Anne pulled away. “I am not a cold blooded animal, but I cannot be there for him 24-7. That’s final.”

“Fine then,” Margaret stood. “I don’t need you to be around him every single minute. But will you please come and speak to him, just so he can eat?”

“No,” Anne refused. “I am not comfortable coming to your house.”

“Anne, please!” Margaret begged. “I only need you to be around him for a couple of hours, it won’t be long. If you don’t like to speak to him, then read to him. Yes! Read to him, he likes your voice. Soon after he’s done eating, then you can go.”

“Margaret, I am not comfortable to be anywhere near your house!” Anne repeated in frustration.

“Then bring a friend, but it cannot be him!” She pointed at Richard. “Edward cannot stand seeing you two together.”

“How long does this have to go on then?” Anne asked. “You want me to read to him until he’s 75?”

“Just for a couple of weeks,” Margaret promised. “Once he got back on his feet, then I’ll let you go.”

After a long moment, Anne nodded. “Okay.”

***

“I can’t believe you agreed to do that,” Richard said coldly and disappointedly.

“You saw them! They would never let the night end until I agree!”

“You know she’s not going to let you off the hook after a couple of weeks.”

“What am I suppose to do?” Anne said in despair. “I’ll take Veronica with me.”

She took out her phone to dial Veronica.

But she found that she got a new email.

“Guess what? I got into NYU on early action,” she muttered with no excitement at all.

“Congratulations,” Richard said carelessly.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think...


	13. I Talk to My Friend Talk to Your friend Talk to Me

Richard paced back and forth in the living room.

He stood and sat.

He checked the time again.

It was almost 1 AM, and she was still not home.

Finally, he called the police.

“Hello, police? Yes, I like to file a missing person report.”

“Can you give me a description of the missing person?” the operator asked.

“She’s eighteen, still in high school. Medium height, slim, brunette, straight hair.”

“How long has she been gone?”

“Since this morning.”

“Sir, usually a person waits for 24 hours before reporting a person missing. Is there any evidence of violence or of an unusual absence?” The operator asked.

“Yes, there is!” Richard answered excitedly. “She went to the house of a crazy person and his bitchy mother!”

“Can you be more specific?”

Richard took a deep breath and said, “Her name is Anne. She went to her classmate’s house to help her classmate with his mental problem, well, actually insanity. He has been obsessed with her for a long time. His mother lives with him and she’s a real piece of work. She blames Anne for her son’s troubles to the point that she physically assaulted her.”

“What’s your relationship with Anne?”

After some hesitation, he replied, “She’s my girlfriend, at least ex-girlfriend.”

“Did she say anything to you before leaving?”

“She said that she’s going to the senior prom with that classmate of hers.”

“The one with mental illness?” The operator asked in disbelief.

“Yes!”

“Did you say anything to her in return?”

“I did.”

“What did you say?”

“I said ‘Go and don’t come back, see if I care!’ and then she left.”

“And you let her go?”

“Yes.” Richard’s patience was running thin.

“What kind of boyfriend are you?” The operator asked accusingly.

***

Richard called Veronica, Izzy, and his mother Cecily. All said that Anne wasn’t there. As sleepy and drowsy as they were, they probably didn’t even understand him clearly. Finally, Richard had it and he used the White Page to find Veronica’s address and went to her place.

Anne was supposed to take Veronica with her each time she went to Edward’s. So, where could Anne be if Veronica is already home?

Racing to Veronica’s house, Richard banged the door.

Finally, an old man in his mid-fifties answered him.

“Is there anything you need, young man?”

Staring at him, Richard could not find his words.

“Oh, I see, you must be that _kid_ ,” Veronica’s father opened the door further and let him in. “Come in.”

Richard stepped in and barged into the living room.

“Anne? Are you here?” He shouted.

“Quiet, it’s 2 in the morning!” Veronica’s father scolded.

“Vincent, is there a problem?” Veronica’s mother came down stairs.

“We have an unusual guest Ronnie,” Veronica’s father, Vincent, answered in a rather humorous tone.

“Oh, you must be _Ree-shar_ the King!” Veronica’s mother, Ronnie, said his name in the French version. Obviously, Anne said something about him to Veronica, who in turn, said something to her parents. “It’s good to finally meet you.”

“I’m looking for—“

“Anne is not here,” Veronica appeared before them, yawning.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with her?” Richard said angrily. “Don’t tell me you let her go to that nutjob’s house alone!”

“Don’t yell at me,” Veronica retorted. “You shouldn’t allow her to go in the first place.”

“Like she ever listens to me!”

Ronnie threw her arms in the air to calm them down. “Okay, let’s all calm down.” She then turned to Veronica. “Honey, do you know where Anne is? What is going on?”

Veronica sat and said, “Anne asked me to go with her to that Edward Lancaster’s house. That Edward is completely insane. He is in a wheelchair, dying. But as soon as he saw Anne, he comes back alive. He has these birds, all named Anne-something: Anne-Marie, Anne-Elisa, Anne-Margaret. At first, I was curious to see what Edward is really like. But then it got boring. All Anne did was reading, that book about a prostitute dying from coughing blood—“

“You mean _Les Miserables_?” Vincent asked.

“No, it’s something like Camilles,” Veronica shrugged her shoulders. “Edward ate as Anne read. It was like this day after day. Edward sick, Edward sees Anne, Edward comes back alive, Anne reads, Edward eats, and then Anne leaves. Eventually I told her this is all nonsense and I suspect that Edward is acting to get her sympathy and attention. But Anne doesn’t listen to me, and Ms. Anjou insisted that Anne stays. She becomes nicer and nicer, and showers her with all these gifts, like cookies, shakes, and thank you note cards. I can’t stand this anymore so I told Anne that I’m not going with her anymore. I thought that will motivate her to stop all these. But now it looks like Ms. Anjou is giving her the rides.”

“What? She is driving her?” Richard’s eyes nearly gouged out. “Do you know that she assaulted Anne?”

“What?” Vincent and Ronnie were stunned. “She hit her? Why?”

“She blames Anne for her son’s problems,” Richard said.

Ronnie shook her head. “Some parents just shouldn’t be parents.”

“I don’t care about her parenting skills, I’m worried about Anne. It’s almost three now and no call from her!”

“We’re calling the police,” Vincent said.

“I done that already,” Richard said. “The police say that we should wait until 24 hours after she’s gone, which means until 8 in the morning.”

“You like to stay here?” Ronnie offered. “Wait here until 8 and then go home then. Maybe she’d be back safe and sound.”

“I can’t,” Richard said. “I need to go find her.”

He thanked Veronica and her family and went to search Anne.

“Wait!” Veronica called after him. “If she calls, I’d let her know you are looking for her.”

***

And a couple of hours later, Richard was at the police station.

But not to file report.

But being questioned.

Roaming down the street, the police stopped him for speeding. Initially, the officer thought he was drinking and driving. Losing his temper, Richard lashed out at him. As result, the officer put him under arrest and had his car tolled. Sat in the interrogation room, an older detective sat before him.

“Your name, Richard York, sounds familiar to me,” he said. “I know a Richard York, a lawyer who helped many trouble kids. Turns out you are his son.” He chuckled and continued, “Mind you tell me what are you doing driving like that in early morning?”

Richard looked at him and said, “I was looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“My girlfriend,” he said uneasily.

“What happened? Did you two fight?”

Richard abruptly stood, running his fingers in his hair. “We did. She has this mentally unstable classmate who is obsessed with her. His mother insisted that she was the one who caused it and thus she should be responsible for it. So, she—“

“Does she have a name?”

“Anne,” Richard replied. “Anne went to his house to read to him, so that he can eat or sleep. It makes no sense to me, but every single day she goes to his house and takes care of him.”

“You are not okay with that, I assume?”

“No, I am not okay with that,” Richard admitted bitterly. “But it is her choice, and I cannot force her against it.”

“No you cannot,” the detective agreed.

“So, everyday, she is with him. We talked about this and eventually it becomes pointless. She insists that she is doing that for us, me and her.”

“Let me get this straight,” the detective raised an eyebrow. “Your girlfriend is spending her time with a guy who is obsessed with her for the sake of your relationship with her? You know, a lot of couples encounter problems like this—an obsessive third party. And solution like hers does not turn out well.”

“Anne insisted that it is her decision. No one in our families or her school knows about our relationship. I think her crazy classmate’s mother smelled something by the way I reacted when Anne agreed to help her son. According to Anne, if that woman finds out, she will cause trouble. So she must convince her to think otherwise by spend more time with her crazy classmate and less with me. And last night, she told me that she agreed to go to the senior prom with him!”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Her crazy classmate scored a prom king nomination and she is nominated for prom queen. So now, they are going to the prom as a couple.”

“Stop there for a second,” the detective was almost amused. “Your girlfriend, Anne, is with you. And she is spending more time around a crazy guy, does he have a name?”

“Edward.”

“Edward. Anne is seeing Richard, but at the same time, Anne is with Edward?”

“She’s taking care of him.”

“Okay, Anne is with Richard, but takes care of Edward, who is obsessed with Anne and wants more with Anne. Edward’s mother sensed that Anne is with Richard. Anne does not want her to know that she is with Richard. So Anne pretends to be interested in Edward by spend more time with Edward, which can make Edward’s obsession even stronger. But Anne is doing all this to save the relationship between Anne and Richard. Now, Anne is going to the senior prom with Edward to be crowned king and queen,” the detective was drawing a relationship map. “This makes absolutely no sense!”

“Finally, someone agrees with me!”

“Why aren’t you going to the prom?” the detective asked. Because Richard had this boyish air, he could pass himself as a high school kid.

“I don’t go to school with her, sir. She never planned to go, until now.”

“Do you live together?” the detective asked.

“We do. Her parents are away and they’d be back soon. Her house is the one that fell into the sinkhole. She’s over eighteen when we started the relationship.”

“Did you have sex?”

Richard gave him a dangerous look.

“I take that as a yes,” the detective muttered. Then he stood, “I’m going to let you go. But be careful out there.”

“Sir, I’m worried about Anne. She does not even have a car or a license. What if she—“

“Son, go home and maybe she’s waiting for you,” the old detective assured him. “All couples fight. If you really don’t want her to go with Edward, then tell her. Don’t let this be a fight over control. Trust me, I married for almost 25 years, been there done that.”

***

Taking the detective’s advice, Richard came home.

Surprisingly, he found Anne in the kitchen.

“Hi,” she looked at him uneasily. “I made some omelets for you, to tell you I’m sorry.”

She placed the omelets before him. “They are homemade, not bought from some diners. I’m been a dummy. Will you find somewhere in your heart for forgive your little dummy?”

Without a word, Richard threw his arms around her and kissed her hard.

After a long kiss, he held her in his arms and muttered against her hair. “You are in trouble. You drove me insane. Because of you, I was with the police for more than two hours.”

“You what?” Anne was shocked. “Aren’t you the one who said ‘I don’t care if you don’t come back’?”

“I didn’t mean it!”

“You are the one who pushed me away!” Anne reminded him. “You went to sleep in your own room, saying you’re not in the mood. You accused me of having feelings and desires for that crazy nutcase Edward.”

“Well, what do you expect me to think?”

“I can’t believe you would think that after I told you that no one can fill your shoe or replace you.”

“I don’t like you to see him,” Richard stood his ground. “I admit, I don’t like the image of you showering him with your care. But I worry more about your safety. Him and his mother—they are not good people to be around with. I don’t like you seeing him because I love you.”

That was the first time he actually said these three words, if their conversation after their first sex did not count.

Anne blushed. “I’m still your girlfriend right? Or did you fire me already?”

“Fire you? As my girlfriend?” Richard started laughing. “No way, you are always my girl.”

“So we are okay?”

“Not without you repay me something,” Richard said in a husky voice.

“What you want me to repay you with? I did make you omelet.”

“I’m thinking of something else.” He then whispered something in her ear.

Anne’s eyes wide open. “No, no way. Not now.”

“Yes now,” Richard pushed her against the refrigerator and slid her jacket off her, leaving her in her tank top. He pulled down side of her top, exposing one breast. Lowered his head, he sucked and licked her nipple. Anne closed her eyes and giggled in pleasure. Soon, they both sat on the floor. Anne leaned back against the refrigerator with her top completely pulled down while Richard enjoyed her breasts and other areas of her upper torso.

“Am I tastier than omelet?” Anne asked, running her fingers in his hair.

“You are tastier than anything,” Richard murmured. “I can never get enough of you.”

“I need a shower,” Anne said. “Maybe you like to join me?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Richard laughed.

A moment later, both of them discarded their clothes and feel the warm water dripping against their skin. Holding each other, it was just the two of them.

Together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The triangle of Richard-Anne-Edward here reflect the triangle of Richard III-Anne Neville-Elizabeth of York. Anne was pretending to like Edward so that Margaret of Anjou will not suspect that she is in a relationship with Richard. Remember, in this fic Anne was still a high school student. Living and seeing a college guy would cause damage to her reputation in school. And as school superintendent, Margaret could use this as an opportunity to hurt Richard (e.i. accusing him of raping Anne). So in turn, Anne thought she was saving her relationship with Richard by pretending to go along with Edward and Margaret. Richard felt Anne was betraying him so he pushed her away, which made things even worse.
> 
> In TWQ, Richard III pretended that he was interested in Elizabeth of York so that Henry Tudor could not marry her to take over the English crown. In his mind, he did this to save his crown and to protect his marriage with Anne. Anne, in turn, was hurt and pushed him away.
> 
> Like what the detective said, "It makes absolutely no sense!"


	14. Father Knows Best

“Richard!” Anne playfully refused him as he continued to shower her face and shoulders with kisses. “Enough!”

“No, come back here,” Richard pushed her back in bed as Anne tried to get out of bed. “You are still on probation.”

He grabbed her breast and gave it a squeeze; Anne curved her back in response.

“Richard, come on,” Anne said again. “I have some work to get to, and we already spent the entire day in bed.”

With that said, she got out of the bed. Naked, she went to her bag and took out her folder and notebook. Richard watched as she came back to bed with her studies.

“Why are you worrying about your grades? You already got accepted by NYU, and grades shouldn’t matter anymore at this point,” Richard said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the shoulder.

“It’s for my psychology class, a must-pass,” Anne explained. “I’m a little behind.”

As she put her notes and assignments in order, a page slipped out. A red mark of F was on top.

“You got an F?” Richard asked with curiosity.

“Give it back!” Anne fought him for it.

“Not a chance,” Richard challenged. “How about this? You tell me where you were last night while I roamed the streets looking for you, and I’ll give your F graded assignment back to you.”

Anne grinned.

Like she was ever going to finish anything with Richard around.

She put her folders and papers on the nightstand and settled back in Richard’s arms. “Well, long story short, I found out Edward was feigning his illness. When I got there, he didn’t know I was watching him from behind. He was out of his wheelchair standing, and dancing to the song ‘Can-Can-Can’ from the film _Moulin Rouge_. Then he turned and found me looking at him. I told him that I’m happy that he is well on his feet and I wished him well. He grabbed me as I was about to leave, and his mother came. I told her that my work is done that Edward is well on his own. Then Edward fell on the ground, acting like he was dying. That Margaret Anjou panicked. I told her in the face that she’s a bad mother and if anyone who’s responsible for Edward’s condition, then it’s her.

"I left their house and called a taxi. I was short on cash so the driver only took me as far as he could. There was a diner nearby and its owner allowed me to earn some cash helping him out in the kitchen; he taught me how to make omelet. I used the cash I earned to call the taxi. I worked in that diner until 1 AM. When I got home, you weren’t there. At that moment, I realize how much I’ve hurt you and how much you meant to me. So, I made you omelet to tell you how sorry I am.”

Richard’s arms around her tightened. He kissed her hard on the forehead.

“You are forgiven,” he said. Rolling on top of her, he looked at her in the eyes and said, “Keep this in mind, no matter how angry I am, when you are in trouble, call me. I rather have you safe and sound and upset than have you dead or disappeared somewhere. Last night, you drove me nuts. I thought you got ran over by a car, or Edward or his mom killed you or have you locked up.”

Touched, Anne nodded. “I promise you’d be the first person to call if I’m in trouble. Cross my heart and hope to—“

“Don’t,” Richard placed a finger to her lip. “Don’t say that word.”

 _Die_.

Recalled his loss of a beloved brother and father, Anne said nothing. Then she changed the subject, “Can I have my psychology paper back?”

Richard laughed. Rolling off her, he sat up and looked over that F paper she got.

And he burst out laughing.

“What?” Anne was amused. She never saw Richard laugh like that before. It was as if some laughing gas exploded inside him.

“Coitus Interruptus,” Richard read from her paper. “Means withdraw organism. When a man has sex with a woman and does not want his female partner to be pregnant, he practices coitus interruptus. During the sexual intercourse, the man will pull out his organ in time so that his sperms will not travel into the woman’s uterus to make a baby. And you drew a picture. And the teacher’s comment: see me after class.”

And he continued to laugh.

Anne laughed as well. “Hey, this is before you taught me how a man loves a woman. So take this as a compliment; you are a better sex master than my psychology teacher.”

“Can I keep a copy of this?”

***

After Anne and Richard made up, they resumed their usual life as a couple living together under the same roof—bickering, teasing, fighting, and making-up. Edward Lancaster soon returned to school in good health. He stopped paying attention to Anne, much to her relief. According to gossip, he now had a new romantic obsession: heroine suffering miscarriages. He now hanged out at nurse’s office and watched from afar when girls came to nurse due to menstrual cramps. To Anne, this was much creepier than him obsessed with her coughs.

Unfortunately, Anne also had menstrual cramps every time she had her period; sometimes it was so bad that she had to stay in bed for a day.

Thus Edward’s obsession with her soon returned.

From Edward’s perspective, pain from menstrual cramps was like a slower and rated G version of miscarriage: bleeding from virginal area and pain in abdominal area. Anne wanted him to stay away more than ever.

And he still called her Nanette.

The only relief was that her menstrual was only once a month; and Edward only bothered her then.

She already told people that she is not going to the prom, which disappointed many. Anne surprisingly found that she was more well-liked than expected.

“Anne, you have to come! We cannot crown a queen in absent!”

Anne was still indecisive. She really did not want to be crowned next to Edward Lancaster.

***

And Anne’s happiness with Richard was suddenly cut short.

During her intimate moment with Richard, her phone buzzed over and over again. But she paid no attention. Instead, she shut the phone off and continued to kiss Richard. The two were only half-dressed when the doorbell rang. Only then they separated from one another.

“Who is that?” Anne asked.

“Like I know,” Richard mumbled disappointedly. “I thought Rob and Francis won’t be here for the game until next week.”

The two of them got dressed; and Anne did not even bother with her hair. She thought it was probably some delivery guy or Richard’s pal.

Turned out it was neither.

It was her parents.

They came home early.

“Mom? Dad?” Anne looked at them surprised. “I thought you won’t be home for another month.”

“Well, here we are!” Ann Beauchamp hugged her daughter.

“Mr. Neville, it’s good to see you back,” Richard shook hand with Richard Neville.

“I’m glad that we made the decision to come back early,” Richard Neville said. “A hurricane is now approaching Philippines, or so I heard.” He then turned his attention to his daughter. “Anne, get your things together and we can take you to our new house.”

“Now?” Anne asked.

“Yes, now,” Richard Neville replied. “You have caused enough trouble for Richard. And Richard, her mother and I cannot thank you enough for taking our daughter in. I hope she’s not that troublesome.”

“Richard can help me pack,” Anne said slowly.

“Your mother can help you with that,” Richard Neville said. “Richard, I hear that you got accepted by Columbia law school and why don’t I share some of my words of wisdom while Anne packs with her mother.”

He pulled Richard aside while Anne went upstairs with her mother.

A few hours later, Anne had all things packed. Her parents helped moving her things to the car. Anne looked at Richard from time to time, as if she wanted him to say something. Soon she got into the car, she looked at Richard as she waved him goodbye.

He did not wave back.

But he did not leave until the car turned away.

***

Her new house was great, but a little too far away from Richard’s place. Anne wondered how she could see Richard again while living here.

She texted Richard, “At my new house now. A little too far away from yours. Don’t like.”

He did not text back.

Anne felt hurt.

As Anne unpacked her things, her Dad knocked the door and entered. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Anne replied, acting as if nothing bothered her.

“You know, I saw your principle William Stanley after your mother and I got off the plane,” he said. “Mr. Stanley told me that you and Richard are playing house. Is it true?”

Anne froze. Her Dad looked at her as he was waiting for her to answer.

After a moment, Anne replied, “I love Richard, and he loves me. We did not jump into a relationship right after I moved in. He was there for me and I supported him. We were both under pressure from college applications.”

“Now that problem is gone. You are going to NYU and he’s going to Columbia,” Richard Neville said evenly.

“What are you saying Dad?” Anne did not like his tone.

“You are not to see Richard anymore,” Richard Neville said.

“What?” Anne was surprised. “Dad, you like Richard more than anyone. Richard this, Richard that, as if he is the son you always wanted. I thought you‘d be happy to see me with him.”

“Richard has a lot of potentials,” Richard Neville said. “I have no problem allowing him to take over my firm after I retire. He still has a lot to learn, but eventually, I can see him as the President of United States if he has the heart for it. But walking down the aisle and hand him my daughter, not on my life.”

“Why?” Anne could not understand.

“Remember what you told me about Edward Lancaster? How it bothered you that he’s so self-centered and did not care for you? Richard is only a saner version of Edward.”

“He’s nothing like Edward!”

“Richard is not insane like Edward, but as a person he is too self-centered. I can see him spending his time and energy on his career while leaving you alone like a widow. Let’s say if he won the office and becomes a successful politician, you’d be one of those silent supporting spouses, possibly dying from cancer and he didn’t even know.”

“That’s not true!” Anne argued. “I was sick when living with him and he took care of me. He made me promise to call him when I’m in need, no matter what mood he’s in, he’s there for me!”

“You think he’d do all if you were not my daughter?” Richard Neville questioned. “Richard is a smart man, and he knows which string to pull.”

Anne swallowed hard to hold back her tears. “I love Richard, Dad. And there is nothing you can do about it. And he loves me. I am over eighteen and you cannot control who I’m seeing.”

“I already spoke to him,” Richard Neville told her.

Anne shook her head. “No, he cannot agree to stop seeing me. I’m someone special to him.”

“Really? Has he texted back when you texted him?”

Anne ran to check her phone.

No.

No message from him.

Quickly, she called him.

But no answer.

She looked at her father as if he betrayed her.

“Anne, you are my daughter, and I want the best for you. Richard is a great guy. He can be the best attorney or politician, but the worst of the husbands.”

With that said, he left her alone.

Anne fell on her bed and cried.


	15. It was raining...

Anne slowly walked down the hallway in school. She paid no attention to her surroundings, as she paid no attention in class. She used to excel in literature and sociology classes, but now all she did was drawing a bunch of lines in her notes. She spent her times in the bathroom during lunch time crying. She was still active during the prom committee meeting, but not as that active as before. Her low spirit worried her classmates, since junior and senior proms were coming up in weeks of time.

Principle William Stanley passed by.

“Anne, I heard that your parents are back in town,” he greeted. “Your new house is good. Nothing is better than living under another person’s shelter.”

Anne ignored him.

How she hated him for telling her Dad about she and Richard playing house!

By her educated guess, Margaret Anjou probably told him based on how Richard reacted when she agreed to help Edward Lancaster. After Anne blasted her for being a “bad mother”, she had her revenge.

Since Margaret Anjou’s sex life was pitiful, Anne could only guess that she would be more than happy to ruin hers.

She checked her phone, and disappointedly found that Richard returned none of her calls or messages.

Could it be true that Richard only liked her because of her Dad?

***

She came home early and went straight to her room. She ate very little at dinner and not speaking to her Dad. After finishing her soup, she ran upstairs and closed the door behind her.

A few minutes later, her mother came.

“Anne, honey,” Ann Beauchamp sat beside her on the bed. “You shouldn’t be mad at your father. He is doing what’s the best for you.”

“Right,” Anne retorted. “I don’t know what he said to Richard, but if he wants me to be unhappy, then he succeeded.”

“Anne, you are only eighteen. By the time you get married and have your own kids, you’d realize Richard is just one of the guys you dated in the past.”

“You’re wrong Mom!” Anne snapped. “Richard can never be replaced. No guy in the world can fill his shoes.”

“That’s exactly what I said about my first boyfriend,” Ann Beauchamp told her daughter. “I dated this guy in high school for four years. At the time, I thought he’s the _it_ for me. But then I went to college and met your father by chance. In comparison, your father totally overshadowed my high school boyfriend. Last time I heard, he was only an inventory manager at Walgreens, and your Dad is a renowned attorney!”

Anne looked at her mother and shook her head. “Mom, that’s not even the point. I like Richard not for his achievement but for _him_. Just leave me alone."

After her mother left, Anne sank herself into thinking. She needed to see Richard.

If he no longer wanted to be with her, at least, she needed to hear it from him.

***

It was raining with thunder and lightning.

Richard stayed indoors. His heart wasn’t into anything lately, not since _she_ moved out. He kept her former room closed. It was hard for him to believe that she was gone so suddenly. Months ago, when she appeared without a warning in his house, he found her annoying and intruding. But now, she left a void.

He missed her body next his.

He missed her bad cooking, if she ever tried.

He missed her saying silly things that made him laugh.

He missed her kiss.

He missed _her_.

This house became so large and empty.

Yesterday, he managed to go to her room to find something. He saw that gigantic teddy bear on her bed. It was the bear he gave her after he threw Edward Lancaster out. Anne loved it more than anything.

The bear’s black eyes stared back at him.

Richard Neville’s words came back to him.

_Richard, you know how much I believe in your potentials and how much I am fond of you. If I have a son, I wish he’s like you. I heard about your relationship with Anne. Honestly, I have nothing against it. But, Anne, she’s my baby. Since the day she was born, she has been weak. In relationship and marriage, I wished for man who can be there for her when she is sick in bed and look after her. For your career, however, you must understand that your top priority cannot always be family. I have been an attorney for nearly 25 years, I have seen enough. These successful attorneys and politicians, the ones with spouses who are sick, they are always the ones last to know about their illnesses. Not that many can give up their careers for their spouses—it’s easier said than done. I do believe that you sincerely care for Anne, but I really do not want to watch from heaven in years from now that my little Anne dying alone in a hospital bed when without her husband by her side._

Suddenly he burst out, “Mommy went home to Grandpa’s! I don’t know when she’s back!”

He stormed out of the room and shut the door behind him.

The bear sat alone on Anne’s bed.

Later, it rained harder and harder. Richard went downstairs to fix himself dinner. He went to the refrigerator and was ready to make himself a sandwich. He turned and jerked.

He found Anne standing before him, drenched wet.

“Hi Richard,” she said meekly.

“Anne, what are you doing here?” he asked.

Without a word, Anne ran to him and held on to him tightly. She was sobbing against his shirt.

“I have to see you, or I will go crazy,” she cried. “Dad told me not to see you. I don’t care. I want to.”

Stroking her wet hair, Richard inhaled deeply and said, “Anne, get dry first, and then we’ll talk. Okay?”

Anne shook her head. Her hands went to his chest. “Your heart, is it still there? Do you still care for me? Tell me! Why don’t you return my calls? Or my texting?”

Taking his hand and pressed it against her heart. “You hurt me,” she accused.

After some hesitation, Anne said sadly, “Two weeks ago, my parents came back early and took me home. You did not even say goodbye. If you want to end this, at least, end it with a proper goodbye.”

Shivering, she started to cough.

And her coughing became severe.

“Anne!” Richard went to her. “Where’s your inhaler?”

Anne shook her head.

Picking her up, Richard brought her to the shower. Turned on the hot water, he placed her under the shower. The warm water calmed her and a few minutes later, she stopped coughing. Standing in the shower alone, she looked back at him through the glass door. The shower steams were consuming her image and blocking her view. Without a word, Richard removed his clothes and then stepped into the shower to join her.

He took her hands and brought them to his lips. Slowly, he removed her clothes, piece by piece. After her clothes were discarded, he drew her into his arms and held on tightly. Bringing her head against his chest, he said to her, “My heart is here. It’s still yours.”

Anne held him and said nothing.

She only wanted to be with him.

***  
They were out of the shower; Anne’s clothes were in the dryer. Richard had her settled in bed, wrapped in a warm blanket. He brought her a cup of hot chocolate.

“You have to call your parents,” he said. “They’re worried about you.”

“Let them,” Anne said carelessly. “I just want to be with you.”

Stroking her cheek, Richard said, “Don’t say that. Your father had his way with things, but he does care for you.”

Placing the mug on the night stand, Anne reached out for him. Wrapping her arms around him, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

“Make love to me,” she said as she kissed him on the lip then on the neck.

And he did.

Removing his clothes, he kissed her hungrily. He thrust into her as his hand caressed her breasts. After he pulled out of her, Anne rested her head against his chest.

“Let’s get married,” she said.

“No,” Richard said as he stroked her back.

“Why not? I’m over eighteen, I don’t need my parents’ permission.”

“You deserve better,” Richard said. “I want to see you in a beautiful white dress, walking down the aisle, surrounded by your loved ones.”

“I don’t care, as long as it’s you I’m with.”

“I should take you home,” Richard said.

“No, I want to stay with you longer,” Anne said. “Richard, what did my Dad say to you? You don’t have to listen to him on this aspect. You hurt me so much when you ignored me. My Dad told me that you only cared for me to please him. That’s not true, isn’t it?”

After a long while, Richard muttered, “No. I only promised your father to keep you safe, but I never promised him to love you. Loving you, it came from me.”

“Then don’t turn away from me like that! You don’t need his permission to see me!”

“I don’t want to break up your family Anne,” Richard said. “I don’t want you to choose between your Dad and I. Your Dad does care for you and you cannot hate him for that.”

Anne shook her head in disappointment. “I thought you are going to fight for me. I thought you are going to talk to my Dad and prove yourself different.”

She sat up and pulled away from his embrace.

“Anne,” Richard sat up and wrapped his arms around her. “Your Dad told me something that…that got to me. All my life I dreamed a career in law and maybe in politics. But your Dad told me that because of your health, you need a man who can be there for you when you’re in need. He reminded me that politicians with sick wives often fail to be there for their spouses. It’s easier said than done. I…I…”

“Don’t,” Anne pulled herself away from him. “I am not some sick girl who’s in bed 24-7. I can take care myself. When I’m with you, I always feel different, stronger and happier.” She looked back at him. “Don’t tell me you agree with him.”

“I don’t know,” Richard murmured. “I lost two people I love. When they left me, I was not by their side.”

Anne was silent.

After a long moment, Anne spoke, “I don’t have cancer, TB, or some deadly disease that will kill me sooner or later. I only have asthma; many people have that and live a long healthy life. One reason I prefer you over Edward Lancaster is because you prefer the latter while he prefer the former. Look at me, I’m thin and I’m not busty. But it does not mean that my lifespan will be short or that you will bury me. Richard, don’t tell me that things will be different had I gain some weight or there is a cure for asthma.”

“I should take you home,” Richard replied.

Her clothes were dry now.

Anne got out of the bed silently as Richard dressed her. Although she was mad at him for not fighting for her, she still cherished each moment when his skin touched hers.

***

The rain was not that heavy now.

Richard pulled up to Anne’s new house. He walked Anne in.

There, both Richard Neville and Ann Beauchamp looked worried.

Anne clung to Richard by the arm.

“Richard, tell them,” she said, semi-demanding and semi-beseeching. “You love me and I you.”

Richard only looked at her and said, “Anne, I do love you with all my heart. But I cannot stand between you and your father—“

Before he could finish, Anne jerked away from him and ran to her room.

The only words three people down stairs heard from her was: I hate you Richard York!

Now the rain stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As some of you might noticed, this story is now part of my "Anne and Richard: Inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tale" series. The series are based on Grimm's Fairy Tales, featuring Anne and Richard in AU. 
> 
> This story is inspired by "Frog Prince". Richard may not look like a "frog" in the beginning, but he did not have an attractive personality. After Anne kissed him, he became her prince. Later on, you will see the main element of that story.


	16. A Costly Stalker

School was almost over. Anne opened her locker and tried to organize it. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands touching her butt. Swiftly, she turned.

It was Edward Lancaster with a measuring tape.

“What are you doing?” Anne asked in frustration.

“Taking your measures,” Edward said matter-of-factly. “I’m making your prom dress and your mantle.”

“My what?”

“Your mantle,” Edward continued. “A queen needs her mantle.”

“Edward, I am not going to the prom and I’m not going to repeat myself,” Anne insisted. “Why can’t you accept that?”

“You did agree to go to the prom with me,” Edward said with his finger pointed up. “And you cannot just change your mind.”

“I only agreed when you falsely convinced me that you’ll die if I don’t,” Anne retorted. “But now, your acting failed you. And FYI—I don’t like being played.”

“You cannot back out now, too late,” Edward said. “I already paid all the guys in class to not ask you.”

“You what?” Anne’s eyes nearly gouged out.

“You heard me. Nanette, you are mine. We will be crowned together on the stage, and sing our hearts out. ‘I will love you until my dying day.’” Edward started to sing again.

“Edward Lancaster, let me make my point clear,” Anne was really pissed. “I am not a dying courtesan and you are not a romantic poet. Honestly, even if we were in that film, you are not _Christian_. In fact, you are the _Duke_ —the one who thinks that you own me like an object, but you don’t own me. Put away your measuring tape and stop wasting time to make the dress or mantle, I am not going to the prom with you. Understand?”

Anne turned and walked away.

Thinking about the film _Moulin Rouge_ suddenly made her sad. If she were Satine, then Edward Lancaster would be the Duke; Principle William Stanley would be Harold Zidler, plotting with the Duke; Margaret Anjou would be Marie, that ugly old woman plotting with the Duke and Harold and manipulating the poor Satine; and Richard would be Christian. Well, she had to admit, black hair and dark eyes, Richard did resemble actor Ewan McGregor; or at least somewhat.

She hated to think about Richard.

***

“Are you sure you are not going?” Veronica and other girls asked her as they were making posters and signs to celebrate the upcoming senior prom.

“Yes, I am sure,” Anne said for the ten millionth time.

“But you are the prom queen candidate and you are the president of the prom committee. We wouldn’t have this prom if it weren’t for you,” one girl said.

“You don’t understand, Anne is love-sick,” Veronica teased.

“Are you seeing someone Anne?”

Now that got everyone’s attention.

“No,” Anne replied. She said nothing more.

“Anne, is it true that Edward Lancaster paid all the guys in the class to not ask you to the prom?” Another girl asked.

“I don’t know and I don’t care,” Anne shook her head. “That guy drove me nuts for nearly two years.”

“If it were true, I wonder how much he spent,” Veronica said. “I mean, we have more than 200 guys who are going. If he paid $1.00 per person, then that’s $200 altogether.”

“It is…a lot of money,” the first girl commented. “The prom ticket itself is not even half of that.”

“Come think of it, maybe he is really in love,” the second girl said.

“Nonsense!” Anne snapped. “It’s never nice to put a price tag on anyone. If he really paid $200 to keep other guys away, then what does it means? I’m only worth $200?”

“Whatever you say Anne, but keep in mind, we saved two seats for you. One for you and one for a possible date.”

Anne said nothing.

***

Two hundred American dollars; that is equivalent to one hundred British pounds and two thousand Chinese RMB.

How much it exactly worth depends on one’s income level.

For Veronica, coming from a middle-class family whose income earned from running a café, it was not an insignificant amount. Her father Vincent would not forgive her if she spent in on a guy.

For the York family, however, it was merely a small pie. A man like Ed York, an accomplished business lawyer, $200 was the average amount he spent on a date back in his bachelor days.

For the Neville family, $200 was not too much; but for a man with principals like Richard Neville, it depends on what the money is spent on. Anne and Izzy used to get lectures from him for spending money on meaningless luxuries even though they could afford it.

For Edward Lancaster, it was highly likely that he did not even do the math. Margaret Anjou was certainly not poor; and she allowed her son to use her credit card to do whatever he wanted.

And he did spend a lot of money on Anne Neville, his object of obsession.

Exactly how much money he spent on her, no one really knew.

Until that very day when Anne came back from school and found her father very upset.

“Anne, we have a problem,” his face was stone cold.

Seeing her father like that, Anne sensed something bad happened.

“Is everything okay?” Anne asked him.

“For me, things are okay. But not for you,” he handed her a folded formal letter.

“What is this?” She opened it and read it.

Then she looked at her Dad.

“Apparently, Ms. Margaret Anjou, your school superintendant is suing you for $5,550.78,” Richard Neville said evenly. “Do you know what is this all about?”

Anne shook her head.

“You need to answer to this, whether you agree for not,” Richard Neville said. “You have two weeks.”

Anne was stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short update.
> 
> And Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers!


	17. Richard the Legal Advisor

Richard came to Barnes and Nobles after he finished his last assignment for the semester. He could breathe now; all of his school works were done; and his paper work and forms for Columbia law school were sent. George and Izzy pushed their wedding date back for another six months for some reasons. So, they wouldn’t need his help any time soon for the wedding.

Speaking of which, he’d be one of the groomsmen for George and Anne would be Maid of Honor for Izzy.

They may have to walk hand in hand down the aisle.

At a wedding.

That would be so awkward.

And speaking of the devil.

Before him sat Anne Neville at the café with piles of books before her. The book she was reading titled _Civil Case for Dummies_. Curious, he went to her.

Pushing the book down, he greeted her, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Anne looked away. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I’m here to see if my book is out available yet.”

“What book?”

“ _Sunne in Splendour_. The author Shennon Kay Penman is releasing a new version with her new foreword,” he said as he looked at other books on her table. “I see you are already preparing yourself for law school.”

Exhausted and annoyed, Anne threw the book aside. “I’m being sued.”

“What?” Richard raised an eyebrow.

Anne took out the document and showed it to Richard. “See for yourself.”

Richard looked it over and almost laughed out loud. “That Anjou woman is suing you for over $5,000? For what?”

“Things,” Anne said. “When Edward Lancaster was pursuing me, he gave me things. And now she wants me to pay for them.”

“Why isn’t your Dad helping you?” Richard asked.

“Dad wants to use the slower and longer way to fight it. He makes it so complicated. I say that we should take it directly to the bench and the judge will surely dismiss it. Long story short, after we argued, I fired my Dad.”

“You _fired_ your Dad, the best known attorney in town?”

“Richard, please I don’t have the time for this. The date of trial is in three days,” Anne said as she went back to her books.

“Please don’t tell me you are planning to represent yourself in court and learn the court system and legal process in three days aka 72 hours?”

Anne ignored him.

As she flipped another page, Richard grabbed that book from her.

“Come on, let’s go,” Richard took her arm and pulled her out of the chair.

“What are you doing?” Anne asked. “I really need to study this.”

“We are going for a walk,” Richard said evenly.

 _Great, here’s the bossy Richard York again_ , Anne thought.

***

Sitting in Richard’s car, Anne stared at her hands. She had not spoken to him since that raining day. Her last words to him were: I hate you.

“Where are we going?” Anne asked.

“You’ll see,” Richard replied.

The final destination was Ed York’s law firm.

It was a huge and sophisticated office building. Ed’s law firm was bigger than Anne expected. Richard took her to the conference room. It had a long table and surrounded by bookcases filled with volumes of books.

“Sit,” he instructed as he took a note pad and a pen.

Anne took a seat and tried to relax herself.

“So tell me,” Richard said as he sat before her. “What did Edward Lancaster give you since the first day you met?”

Anne only shrugged her shoulders. “Like I can remember.”

Before Richard could say another word, Ed waltzed in.

“Oh how nice to see that you two are working together!” He said warmly.

“Hey, check it out,” Richard handed him the document. “That Anjou bitch is suing her for the things her son gave her.”

“$5,550.78. What did he buy you? A boat?” Ed joked.

“That never happened,” Anne said.

“Didn’t you hit her car in the behind and lost your driver’s license? Could she included that in her amount?” Ed asked.

“No, I only cut her off and hit someone else.”

“Who did you hit?” Richard asked.

“My high school principal.”

“Interesting,” Richard tried not to grin.

“What did your Dad say?” Ed asked. “Why aren’t you consulting him?”

“Because she fired him,” Richard said amusingly.

“You _fired_ your father?” Ed laughed. “The great Richard Neville got fired?”

“Look!” Anne stood abruptly. “The trial is in three days. Three fucking days! I don’t have the time for jokes!”

“Have you been to court before?” Ed asked her.

“Yes, twice.”

“Twice?” Richard looked at her. “For what?”

“First time it was me in court for that incident when I hit Principal Stanley’s car. I disagreed with my Dad’s advice so I represented myself.”

“How did you do?” Ed asked her.

“I got even a bigger fine and my driver’s license got taken away until I turn 21.”

“Okay,” Ed tried to hold down his laugh. “What is the second time about?”

“It was for a class assignment; we were doing a mock trial.”

“What was your role?”

“The murder suspect’s mother.”

“Did the jury find your son innocent?”

“No, he was voted guilty on a unanimous verdict.”

“Okay,” Ed shook his head. “Anne, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but based on your record, I kindly suggest you get yourself a lawyer or at least a legal advisor.”

“Would you be my legal advisor?” Anne asked while blinking her good-girl eyes.

“I won’t mind but how are you going to pay me?”

“P..pay?” Anne did not anticipate this.

“See, in legal system, this is how it works,” Ed took a seat besides her and explained. “Right now, between you and I, we are doing an initial consultation. You are telling me what’s going on and I will give you an overview of what I can do to help you. This is free. However, if you agree to have me represent you, then you have to pay me. I do not do charity work unless ordered by the court.”

“So, how are you going to charge me?”

“There are three ways. We can do by an hourly rate, a negotiated fee, or contingent fee.”

“How much do you charge by the hour?” Anne asked meekly.

“$300.”

Anne’s eyes narrowed. The case could go on and on and on; and Ed could talk and talk and talk. One hour, two hours, three hours, and four.

That’d be $1,200 by then. And if Ed continued to talk, and talk, and talk…

“What about negotiated fee?” Anne asked.

“Don’t even go there,” Ed warned. “You can never afford.”

“What about the last option?” Anne played her hands nervously.

“You mean contingent fee? That’s not an option in this case since you are not countersuing.”

“What’s a contingent fee anyway?”

“That’s out of whatever amount of money you won, you will give me 33% of it. So if you win $100 in the court case, $33 goes to me and you keep $66.”

“Any other options?” Anne asked, hoping he would say yes.

“No.” Ed answered.

Anne slammed her head on the conference room table. “I’m doomed.”

“I can be your legal advisor,” Richard spoke.

“You?” Anne asked a little unconvincingly and a little hopefully.

“Anne, I observed a number of civil cases like this one; and I have taken enough law classes to know the legal system. So, if you like, I can be your legal advisor.”

“You are not going to charge me, are you?” Anne asked uneasily.

“Of course,” Richard said matter-of-factly.

“How much?”

“Tell you what, you don’t have to pay me in monetary terms since based my educated guess, you don’t have any money. But if you agree to let me be your legal advisor, you have to agree to do something for me in return. So I do one thing for you and you’ll do one thing for me. Sounds fair?”

“What you like me to do for you in return?”

“That I haven’t decided yet.”

Anne was silent.

“So how about it? I can be your legal advisor and you do something I ask afterwards. I guarantee you, if you don’t have me to help you, you can be ordered to pay $5,000. Knowing your father, he will not pay that for you. But if you enlist my help, whatever I ask you to do, I promise you it will cost you nothing.”

He then looked at Ed.

“Sounds reasonable,” Ed nodded his head.

Richard lent out his hand. “Deal?”

After some hesitation, Anne took it. “Deal.”

***

“Honey, Anne is still not home yet,” Ann Beauchamp looked worried at her husband. “Where can she be?”

“How should I know? I am no longer her attorney,” Richard Neville laughed at himself. “For the first time in my life, I got fired.”

“She fired you?” Ann Beauchamp did not know what to say to that.

Just then, Anne came home. She looked more hopeful.

“Where have you been?” Her mother asked her.

Anne went straight to her Dad. “Dad, I made up my mind and I am going to take this case to the bench. But I will not face the Judge alone for now I have a legal advisor.”

“Oh really?” Richard Neville gave it a whistle. “Who is it?”

“Your mentee, Richard York.” With that said, she turned and went to her room.

“You hear that, Richard is going to represent her in court,” Richard Neville laughed, until he realized what he just said. He stood and went after her.

“Anne, do you have any idea what risk you put yourself in?” Richard Neville said sternly. “Richard is not even in law school yet. The boy may be smart, but he has no experience as a lawyer. He has yet passed bar and does not have a license. How is he going to be your legal advisor?”

“Dad, in this case, between Margaret Anjou and I, is going to be a civil case. Basically, he is going to teach me on what to say and do. I will face that Anjou woman with Richard guiding me.”

“And exactly what had he taught you so far?”

“First, I never signed any contractual agreement with Margaret that required me to pay back anything Edward gave me. Second, none of the things I received from Edward Lancaster is borrowed. Thus, the amount of $5,550.78 lawsuit is completely bogus. You cannot sue someone for the resources you gave him or her as gifts.”

“Fair enough,” Richard Neville commented. “What if Margaret presented a signed contract to the court.”

“I will have my sample signed documents ready to prove the signature is not mine.”

“What if she presented evidence that you damaged some of her properties and then Edward gave them to you as gifts.”

“What do you mean by that?” Anne was confused at that question.

“For instance, you broke her Ming vase and then Edward said, ‘Anne, don’t worry about it. I give this to you as a gift and so you don’t have to worry about paying my mother.’”

“Well,” Anne did not know how to respond to that. “I don’t recall I damaged any of her things…”

Richard Neville shook his head. “’I don’t remember’ is the worst phrase to use in court to prove your innocence. That’s the most common things that witnesses say to avoid perjury.”

Anne sat on her bed and found herself tongue-tied.

“Why don’t you give Richard a call and see what he has to say?” Richard Neville suggested.

Anne was surprised to hear that. “I thought you don’t like me seeing him.”

“He is your legal advisor and you chose him. Since you chose him, you might just well use him.”


	18. 48 Hours

_Two days before the trial..._

Once school was over, Anne went to the agreed spot where Richard drove by to pick her up. Together, they went to Ed York's law firm to work on their "case". Along the way, they grabbed food from Panera Bread. After they arrived, Richard took a seat and asked Anne to prepare his coffee.

"With cream and sugar please," he said nonchalantly.

At that moment, Anne remembered how much she found him annoying when he bossed her around. The "Prince" had reverted back to a "frog".

But this "frog" was the only one who could save her from the "evil queen" Margaret Anjou and her "jester son" Edward Lancaster. 

"Hurry up!" Richard was inpatient as well. 

Without a word, Anne went to prepare coffee; one for Richard and one for herself. 

With two mugs in hands, she placed one before Richard and enjoyed the other one herself.

"Did you add sugar?" Richard asked after one sip. 

"I certainly did," Anne replied.

"How many?" 

"One bag of Splenda."

He got up frustrated, and said, "I usually add two to three bags."

"Don't you know how unhealthy it is?" Anne asked while shaking her head.

"Come," Richard grabbed her arm and dragged her behind him. "Now, this is the type of coffee I prefer-watch and learn."

In the firm's kitchen, he poured the coffee she prepared for him in the sink and washed the mug clean. He then filled the now empty mug with 3/4 of coffee, 1/8 of cream, and 2 bags of sugar. Finally, with a spoon, he mixed the coffee for fully 30 seconds.

"Now this is _the_ coffee I drink," he told her.

"Boy, you are even pickier than James Bond," Anne said sarcastically, referring to James Bond's complicated "shaken-not-stirred" Martini.

 "I'm flattered," he gave her a sly smile. "Me versus James Bond. Never thought that coming."

"Okay, 008 Richard York, can we please go back to our case? We only have two more nights to prepare!"

"First, relax," Richard instructed. "The more you behave this way, the worse your chances will be."

Letting out a grump, Anne turned and stumped her way back to the conference room. She sat and went through her notes, looking over the things that Richard insisted that she memorize by heart. Before she knew it, Richard took her notes from her.

"What are you doing?" Anne asked out of frustration.

"It's quiz time," Richard said. "Stand up." He pulled her chair out, almost gesturing that he'd throw her out from the chair if she refuses to follow his instruction. Anne stood.

"Now, let's go over the things I told you to study," Richard said as he reviewed her notes. "What are the three possible reasons that Anjou Bitch sue you for?"

"One, she is angry at me for not dating her son. Two, she is mad that Edward Lancaster spent her money on me without consulting her. Three, she is jealous of Edward's attention on me."

"Pass. Next question, on what ground that Anjou Bitch could've sue you legally?"

"If we had signed a contractual agreement without duress, or if she loaned me anything, or if I were liable for any of her property damage or emotional distress."

"Very good. If you two did indeed signed a contract, which you didn't, but let's say you did. How can you argue that it is not valid?"

Annd took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "She is my school superintendent and I have no background in law or experience in signing a contract. Therefore, it is duress-for she used her status to bully me into signing things I don't understand."

"Good job; that was actually a tough question. Now if you and Anjou Bitch were in court, what are your roles?"

"I'm the defendant and she's plaintiff."

"And Edward Lancaster?"

"A witness."

"Good. I see you did do your homework."

Anne breathed easier now.

"What are my chances?" she asked.

"That I cannot tell you," Richard said. "Lawyers never make promises to their clients. But I can tell you that your chances are slightly better than that Anjou Bithch's." Then he turned to another subject. "Have you caused any damage to her property or anything as such?"

"I don't remember-"

"Don't," Richard interrupted her. "When you asked a question in court, the answer is either 'yes' or 'no'."

"Then no," Anne said. "If she wants to sue me for emotional distress, can she do that?"

"She can," Richard nodded. "But only if she showed hospital bills, like she saw psychiatrists or social workers because of it."

"Oh my God!" Anne jumped up. "You remember that day, Edward Lancaster came to your mom's house in a wheelchair. He was with a nurse. What if she is suing me for the nurse's service?"

Richard was silent for a moment. Then he said, "You did tell me that Edward feigned his illness and he is over eighteen, a legal adult. So, if she brought this up, we will counter her with that. Then she has no one else to blame aside from her own son."

Anne immediately jogged his advice down.

"Refresh your memory, starting from the first day when Edward Lancaster noticed you, what have he give you?" Richard asked.

"Things," Anne went through her hair. "Like cookies, shakes, diet cokes."

"Anything worth more than $100?"

"No," Anne thought for a moment. "Actually, I remember that when I got sick that day and he brought me the bananas."

"It's definitely not worth more than $50!" Richard dismissed it immediately.

"Well, he did tell me later that these are the best bananas freshly from Bahamas."

"Use your head! How could these bananas arrive that quickly from Bahamas within one day? It's complete bullshit!"

"Okay," Anne raised her two hands. Richard certainly had a mean streak in him. 

***

_One day before trial..._

Richard did not take her directly to the law firm this time. Instead, he took her to the mall. 

"What are we doing here?" Anne asked, not knowing what he was up to.

"I'm going to buy you a new suit for tomorrow," he replied. 

"A suit?" Anne was bewildered. "I only need to dress professionally. I don't need a suit."

"Yes, you do."

His attitude was clear: do not argue.

It did not went as easy as she expected. She picked out a regular black suit jacket with matching pants. She thought it looked good, but Richard then handed her a navy blue one and a gray one. 

"Black is too much for you. You need to look your age," he said. 

So Anne tried to the navy blue and then the gray one. She preferred to wear a low cut shirt underneath, but Richard insists that she wear a blouse. 

"You are not on _Law and Order_ , don't try to sell yourself. Judges don't like that," he told her.

After settled for the gray suit with a white blouse, he then went back and traded her heels for a pair of flats. "When you look shorter, you'd look younger. This will give you advantage. In comparison, the Anjou Bitch will look like a old mean witch and you look more innocent and modest."

So, new suit jacket, matching dress pants, blouse, and a pair of flat heels-Richard paid for them all.

After leaving Express, he took her to a hair salon.

"So now we are changing my hair?" Anne asked. She really liked her long hair.

"Yes, your hair is too long and it needs to be ironed straight. It'd give you a more professional look."

A couple of hours later, Anne's hair was cut, layered, and ironed. It did make her look more mature and professional.

After leaving the mall, Richard took her back to his house instead of Ed's law firm.

Knowing him, Anne did not ask any more question. She quietly followed him into his house.

"Go change," he ordered.

Anne went to that room she used to stay and changed into the suit Richard bought her. She left her hair down. Look at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but admit that she liked her new looks. Then she noticed that gigantic teddy bear Richard gave her. Quickly, she ran to it and gave it a hug. She really loved it, and sometimes, she wondered why she did not take it with her.

Maybe she was waiting for the day when she's coming back for it.

"Come on, hurry up! We have work to do!" Richard shouted from downstairs.

_Great, the bossy and inpatient King Richard the Frog!_

"Coming!" Anne yelled back and went back downstairs.

Richard looked her over and muttered, "Not bad."

Then he changed his tune. "Tonight, we are going to prepare for tomorrow. It will not be your first time, but compared to your last time, this is to be more intense. Tell me, what happened the day you were fined and got your license taken away?"

Anne closed her eyes and thought for a second, "I went into the court room; the court officer asked me to raise my right hand to swear under oath. I raised the left hand and he had to correct me-"

Richard grabbed her hands and marked her right hand with sharpie black marker. "You cannot repeat that mistake tomorrow. I guess you gave the Judge an unimpressive first impression on that day. Now, raise your right hand."

After looking over her hands, Anne raised her right. "Did I get it right?"

Richard laughed out loud, "You cannot do that either. You'll make yourself look slow. Let's try another method." He removed his class ring and placed it on her right thumb. "There, now Miss Neville, raise your right hand."

Now Anne raised her right hand without a hesitation. In her mind, right hand = the one wears the ring.

"Now, what happened next?"

"The Judge asked me about what happened that night and then he questioned me about my previous traffic tickets and accidents. I answered them and he gave me a bigger fine."

"Tell me about your previous driving mishaps."

"My first ticket was a speeding ticket; I was driving while listening to Black Eyed Pea's 'Boom Boom Pow' and did not know that a cop was chasing me. That cop chased me for a while, according to him that is. My second ticket happened because passing through the red traffic light. At the time, I did not know that there were two cops not far nearby, watching me. My third ticket was another speeding ticket; I was driving 35 mph in a 25 mph zone. I think it was unfair because there was a hurricane warning at the time and police officers should distribute can foods and sleep bags-"

"Stop!" Richard yelled. "Anne, I only asked you one simple question and you are writing a book."

"Sorry," Anne murmured.

"In court, when are you asked a yes/no question, just answer as 'yes' or 'no'; do not explain. If the Judge asked you to describe something, make it as simple as possible. You want to look like a mature young adult who is honest with potential. Just then you look like an immature annoying kid, like that Alicia Silver-something character."

"You mean Cher from Clueless?"

"Exactly. Now, after what I've told you, answer this question again: what happened in your previous driving mishaps?"

"I was speeding for the first time; my second time was because of running through red traffic light; the third time was speeding again."

"Good," Richard raised his thumb. "Is there a fourth time?"

"Yes," Anne replied. Richard waited and Anne said nothing else. 

"What happened in your fourth mishap?"

"I hit another car in the back during heavy traffic."

"Did you get a ticket?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because the driver of that car did not have a valid license and was possibly smoking weeds."

"Very good. See now you are getting it: simple answers," he said. "Now, get to the case between you and Anjou Bitch-"

"Swearing and inappropriate language is not allowed in a court room, Mr. York," Anne blurted out.

Rolling his eyes, he continued, "Why is Ms. Anjou suing you?"

"Because her son Edward Lancaster gave me things when he was pursuing me."

"Do you know how exactly how much money he spent on you?"

"No."

"Have either Edward Lancaster or Margaret Anjou clarified that you are to pay them back on the things he gave you?"

"No."

"Have you signed any contractual agreement saying that you are to pay them back?"

"No."

"Edward Lancaster was ill mentally and physically for a time and Ms. Anjou did ask you to read to him to cure his illness. Did you cause his illness?"

"No."

"Then why did you agree to help?"

"Because Ms. Anjou was begging me and would not leave me alone unless I say yes." Then Anne stopped for a second. "Should I countersue her as well? I mean, reading to him so that he could eat, I was basically his psychiatric nurse. That is not cheap."

"Not an option," Richard said without a hesitation. "You did not sign any agreement with her on this aspect. So long story short, you volunteered."

Then, Richard pretended to pull out a document, "Ms. Neville, this is a copy of the contractual agreement between you and Ms. Anjou. Can you verify?"

"This is not my signature and I have on hand another document which I signed not too long ago."

"Very good," Richard said. "You should do fine tomorrow. Remember, project your voice and don't give too much information. Judges hate people who try to put on a show and who waste their times."

Anne felt more relaxed now. 

"Get some sleep. You need your energy tomorrow."

"You are going to take me home, right?" Anne asked.

"No, you are staying here for the night. I will make sure you get to court on time tomorrow," Richard said. 

"I'll call my Dad," Anne said. "By the way, that day when I said 'I hate you', I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't," Richard replied. "But keep in mind, in court, you say what you mean. Once said, then it cannot be taken back."

***

"Dad, I'm not coming home tonight. I'm staying at Richard's...Nothing will happen! You said it yourself since he's my legal advisor then I might just well use him...He is preparing me for tomorrow and he is taking me to court tomorrow...Fine. Fine! Goodbye!"

Anne hung up.

Basically, her Dad leaving her completely in hands of herself and Richard. If she lost, then $5,550.78 would be out of her own pocket.

She stayed in her old room for the night, cradling that bear.

"Good night Richard," she muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was writing this chapter, my ten years-old little brother was sitting besides me. I allowed him to look over this chapter since it does not contain any love scene. 
> 
> He said to me, "Sis, does Richard like Anne?"
> 
> I said, "Yes."
> 
> Then he asked, "Why is he so mean to her?"
> 
> Then it hit me. So I like to ask all of you, "Is Richard being mean (at least in this chapter)? What do you think of the way he treated Anne from beginning to the end? Are we giving him breaks just because he is so good looking? Compare to the way he buying suits for Anne to the way that Edward Lancaster making prom dress/mantle for Anne, what's the difference?


	19. Anjou vs. Neville

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's the case. Margaret Anjou vs. Anne Neville.
> 
> Hopefully, it can provide you some laughter.

Anne was still sleeping when the alarm went off. 

"Wake up!!!" Richard shouted while standing before her.

Rubbing her eyes, Anne yawned and mumbled, "Richard what the hell?"

Instantly, she was smacked in the face by the pillow. "Each time you swear in the courtroom will earn you a $200 fine."

"Okay, I get it," Anne murmured as she climbed out of the bed. She went to the bathroom to wash up.

When she returned, she found Richard in her room with her outfit laid out.

"Mr. York, some privacy?" Anne tapped her foot.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he said. "Let's go."

Anne used to love it when Richard dressed her. But today, it was different. Richard was neither warm nor friendly. Rather, he was like one of those Russian KGB officers who never smile. In some ways, she felt like Queen Anne Boleyn preparing for her execution in "The Tudors".

"Your eye make-up is too heavy, go tone it down," he instructed.

Without a word, Anne obeyed and did exactly as she was told. She also had her hair up in a bond; Richard took it down and pulled it up into a ponytail.

"Sit," he said. Anne sat on the bed while Richard put on her shoes. 

"Don't think of anything, just be yourself," he told her. 

No emotion, no smile, no warmth, no friendliness.

Anne went downstairs with her purse. Richard already had breakfast prepared. She sat and ate.

"You have everything ready?" He asked.

"Yes," Anne nodded. "I went over the checklist last night."

Suddenly, she felt a group of butterflies released in her tummy. "Another cup of coffee please?"

"No," he shook his head. "That'd be too much. I don't want you to be jittered in court today."

Anne checked the time. 

"Don't," Richard said. "I have my eyes on it. Eat your breakfast."

Soon they finished breakfast and went to Richard's BMW. Anne sat in the passenger seat, trying to breath. 

"Relax please," Richard told her. "You don't want to look guilty at the trial."

Anne closed her eyes. The drive to the court wasn't long; but for Anne it was too long and too short.

***

They arrived.

Richard parked as Anne got off the car. She looked around as if she was looking for Margaret Anjou and Edward Lancaster. 

"Let's go," Richard took her arm. "If you see them, don't say anything. Just walk."

Anne followed Richard into the building.

In the courtroom, Anne sat on one side with Richard behind her. Since he was not legally licensed, Richard could not sit next to her as her legal advisor. Anne felt like a newly trained dancer pushed onto the stage by her dance coach without a warning. On the other side sat Margaret Anjou with Edward Lancaster. Anne tried not to look at them. 

Margaret's face was stony and cold. Edward sat very still besides her, with his cheeks bloated as if he was under water. 

Finally, the court officer announced the arrival of the Judge.

When he showed his face, Anne immediately looked back at Richard.

"It's Judge Somerset!" She whispered.

The same Judge who ruled against her and took her driver license away.

The court officer came to them to have them swear to tell the truth. Turning Richard's class ring on her thumb, Anne raised the right hand and swore under oath. It was Edward use raised the wrong hand. 

Judge Somerset was equally surprised to see Anne before him again.

"Ah Miss Neville, are you representing yourself again?" He was trying to hide his grin by drinking his coffee.

"Yes, you Honor," she replied.

"And you brought a friend," Judge Somerset commented. "Mr. York, it's good to see you again. Congratulations on being accepted by Columbia law school."

"Thank you," Richard gave him a nod.

"Not to offend you, your Honor," Margaret spoke. "But I don't like this. Based on your greetings, I already sensed that you have previously acquainted with the defendant and her...friend. I'm afraid I cannot trust you giving an unbiased judgment."

Anne looked at her, and noticed that she did not have a lawyer either.

"Ms. Anjou, you have not offended me. But I can guarantee you, my acquaintance to the defendant and her friend will not impact my judgment," Judge Somerset said to her evenly. "I have sat on this bench for more than ten years. Mind you, you may not have offended me, but you are pissing me off."

Margaret looked down and swallowed hard. 

Then the courtroom's door opened and three people walked in. 

"Can I help you?" Judge Somerset asked.

Anne turned and saw Ed, George, and Izzy came.

"We're here to give Anne support," George answered. "We're her family and we love her. Good people always have someone who loves them, unlike some people." He made a face to Margaret and Edward.

"As touched as I am by your family love, please put away the popcorn. Food and drinks are not allowed," Judge Somerset said sternly.

"But you are drinking coffee—" 

"Shut up George," Ed scolded him. "I apologize, your Honor."

Judge Somerset ignored him and turned his attention to the case.

"Ms. Anjou, you are here with your son, Edward Lancaster. You are suing Ms. Anne Neville, your son's classmate, for $5,550.78. Am I correct?"

"Yes, your Honor," Margaret replied.

"And Miss Neville, you say that you do not owe Ms. Anjou anything?"

"No, your Honor," Anne replied. Her voice was more shaking and timid compared to Margaret's.

"Ms. Anjou, can you tell me what is this all about? How did you know Miss Neville?" Judge Somerset asked.

"Anne Neville is a student at Middleham High School and she dated my son. Edward had provided her support on various levels. The amount has been...well...remarkably high. Miss Neville should not take it for granted and she should pay us back."

"Miss Neville, is it true?"

Anne hesitated a bit and managed to find her voice, "I did date her son, your Honor. When we were together, he did give me things, but small things. I don't recall him ever giving me things that could've worth that much of money."

"What have your son provided for Miss Neville over the course of their relationship?" Judge Somerset asked Margaret.

Margaret nodded to Edward. He handed her a document. Anne was curious on what's in it.

The court officer took the document and handed to the Judge.

Judge Somerset looked over the document and raised an eyebrow. "I see you made a list, a very meticulous list. I see...Item #5, a $0.65 Thank You Card, plus 20% tax and adjusted for inflation, which makes it $1.25."

"A Thank you card?" Anne turned to Margaret in disbelief. "You are suing me for a Thank you Card?"

"Miss Neville, please, you will have your turn," Judge Somerset said to her sternly.

Anne held her breath and wondered what else had Margaret put on that list. 

Judge became more and more interested. And he started to read the list out loud.

"Lemon, a fruit, $0.99; Skittles, a snack, $0.85; Diet coke, a drink, $0.65; cookies, fine bakeries, $15.00 a box; banana, a fruit, $0.75 per pound...you know, I am very interested, how could all these bananas weigh exactly the same amount?"

Margaret turned to Edward.

He stepped up and said, "I don't know their exact weight. I did some research and used the average weight of bananas posted on Walmart website."

"Your Honor," Anne raised her hand. "May I ask you something?"

"You may," Judge Somerset nodded.

"On their lists, if they included sweets like cakes and cookies, can you take them off the list?"

"Why should I do that?"

"Because I never accepted them when Edward offered."

"So what happened to these cookies and treats?"

"He ate them," Anne pointed at Edward.

"Okay," Judge Somerset tried to keep a straight face. "Is it true?"

"Yes, sir," Edward answered. As obedient a son he was, Edward was not trained to lie or deceit. He was one of these idiots who tell the truth at the most inconvenient time. 

"Miss Neville," Judge turned his attention to Anne. "Can you tell me how this all began?"

"Yes, your Honor," Anne inhaled deeply and remembered what Richard taught her.

_Don't give too much detail. Keep it simple._

"Edward and I dated for nearly two years and we broke up. During the time we were together, he had given me things-all small things that shouldn't cost more than $20. After we broke up, he still tried to pursue me after I told him no over and over again."

"Did he give you things after you broke up?"

"Yes, your Honor," Anne said. "I never asked for them."

"Were you and Mr. Lancaster going to the senior prom together?"

"We were; but not anymore."

"Why not?"

"I found out that Edward was feigning ill to beguile me to agree to go with him. He asked me numerous times before and I told him no. Then he was acting sick and ill and convinced me to go with him to keep him in good health."

"How did he pretend to be sick?" Judge asked.

"He pretended that he cannot eat unless I speak to him. Once I told him that I need to go early, he responded by pouring Kool-Aid in the toilet and told me that he spit blood."

Ed, Izzy, and George burst out laughing. Judge Somerset banged his gavel in response. All three were immediately silent.

"Mr. York!"

"Yes?" Richard, Ed, and George answered in unison.

"If any one of you make a single peep, then it's $250 fine for each three of you. Understand?" 

The three York brothers nodded without a word.

The Judge returned his attention to Anne. "How did you find out that Edward is acting ill?"

Anne responded, "I caught him in action - he was dancing without knowing I was watching from the behind."

"Fair enough," Judge muttered. He looked through the list again and then asked Margaret, "What is this 'prom unconditional fee'?"

Margaret coughed and said, "My son spent all these money under the agreement of Anne going to the prom with him. Now she changed her mind after he spent this money, she should be responsible for them."

"How did your son spent $4,600 on this matter?"

Anne's eyes completely widened. $4,600? For what?

Margaret eyed Edward, who uncomfortably came forward. He spoke uneasily, "I paid each guy of our class to not to ask or agree to go to prom with Anne."

"How much did you pay?"

"$20 each; I guess there were a lot of guys in our class."

The Judge nodded and started humming the song "When I Fall in Love". Then he stopped.

"I don't know what to think anymore, but I'm going to enjoy some hot chocolate," he muttered. He turned and poured a cup of hot chocolate for himself.

Anne did not know what to say; this time, she chose to stay quiet. Margaret was silent as well; but Edward started to talk.

"Mr. Judge, I-"

"Be quiet, I'm still drinking!"

"But my ear hurt!" Edward covered his ear with his hand. "I'm having ear infection!"

"Sit down and be quiet! George, go to him!"

Immediately, George (York) got up and went to Edward Lancaster, staring at him, intimidating. 

"Excuse me, he meant me," the court officer stood behind him. 

"Oh," face-red, George went back to his seat.

"Another word from you, any one of you, I will throw all of you out! No one is allowed to talk except for me, the defendant, and the plaintiff," Judge Somerset said evenly. "Now, Miss Neville, were you aware of this 'prom unconditional fee'?"

"No, your Honor."

"Do you even know that Edward is paying the boys in your class to not go to prom with you?"

"Yes, he told me."

"When did he told you?"

"After I told him that I'm not going to the prom with him...when I found that he was acting ill."

"Fair enough," Judge Somerset looked at Anne and then at Margaret. "I'm going to rule on this case because 1) this is a waste of time, and 2) this is killing my blood pressure. Ms. Anjou, my advice to you is that you need to discipline your son by teaching him to be _accountable_ for his own behaviors. Your son made some foolish and  _strange_  decisions and you as his mother should tell him that this is wrong. As for you, Edward, you need to get a job and pay this money back to your mother. You will not get a penny from Miss Neville because you failed to provide me evidence that the money were loans or that there were agreements in which she agreed to pay you back. Money spent during relationships-before and/or after-are not legally required to be paid back. If you spent it for the wrong reason, then that's a life lesson. And Ms. Anjou, please, you need to find something else to do other than keeping these records and receipts on things under $1.00. This is driving people nuts!

"As for you Miss Neville, you do now owe the plaintiff anything. But a word of advice, next time when you meet someone, if that person does not look or act sane, leave him or her alone as soon as possible. You cannot change a man or hoping that man will change for you sooner or later. Understand?"

Anne nodded. "Thank you your Honor."

"Case dismissed!" Judge Somerset hammered his gavel.

Anne sighed in relief. She turned and found herself facing Richard and her father, who was sitting next to Izzy. When did he come?

"Well, Anne, I have to say that I'm proud of you," Richard Neville hugged his daughter. "You have been brave and stand up for yourself. And you should thank Richard. Based what I've seen, he taught you well."

"It's my pleasure Mr. Neville," Richard shook hands with him.

"I like to take my daughter out for lunch, why don't you join us?" Richard Neville offered.

"It'd be my pleasure," Richard smiled.

Anne felt a little uneasy.

"Come, let's go," Richard Neville gestured. 

Before Anne followed them, Judge Somerset came to her. "Miss Neville, I have to say that you have grown a lot since the last time we've met. I'm impressed. I have some good news for you. I'm going to reverse my previous judgment and you can have your driver license back."

"Thank you," Anne shook his hands.

She smiled for her victory and joined her Dad for lunch.

And with Richard as well.


	20. Father's Approval

Richard Neville took them to an Indian restaurant. Richard could barely tolerate the spiciness of the food, but Richard Neville and Anne loved it. As they ate, Richard Neville spoke to Richard, “Tell me Richard, has Anne caused you any problem in the kitchen when she stayed with you?”

“Nothing serious,” Richard replied.

“Really?” Richard Neville raised an eyebrow. “Tell you a story: when Anne was twelve, her mother taught her to cook chicken. And what she did, she put the chicken in the pot and turned on the stove, and then went out for a bike ride. By the time she came back, firefighters were surrounding our house.”

He then laughed.

Richard laughed too.

“Dad, we don’t have to bring this up,” Anne said uneasily.

“Anne, we don’t have any outsider here; there’s nothing to be embarassed about,” Richard Neville took her hand. Then he continued, “Anne is always the troublemaker in the family. Every time she’s in trouble, she runs to me. It’s either ‘Dad! Izzy took my doll!’ or ‘Dad that boy shoved me to the ground’ or ‘Dad, I scratched my knee’. All the way up to age eighteen,” he let out a deep sigh. “But now, for the first time, I see with my very own eyes, that Anne took care of her own problems. A lawsuit over $5,000, any teenager would’ve scared the shit of himself. But Anne, you stood in the courtroom so calm and so confident.”

Anne smiled. It was very rare that Richard Neville ever praised her, if at all.

“And Richard, I have to say I cannot thank you and your brother enough for introducing us to Dr. William Hastings. Before Dr. Hastings, all other doctors and specialists gave us the strangest and most complicated diagnoses. Once, Dr. Jasper Tudor told us that Anne had lung cancer and need to have half of her lungs removed. Anne was…well…as horrified as you can imagine, as everyone in the family was. But then, the minutes before the operation, we were notified that it was a misdiagnosis. All these emotional torture! Then finally, Dr. Hastings provided the right diagnosis. Asthma—thank goodness is not some fatal disease!”

Richard Neville laughed and laughed.

“So Richard, Columbia law school, looks like your career is on its road for real now. Do you know what type of lawyer you want to be?”

“I don’t know yet, Mr.—“

“You can call me Richard, _Richard_ ,” Richard Neville teased.

“Maybe in criminal law or in civil right,” Richard replied.

“See Anne, someone who takes legal career seriously,” Richard Neville playfully scolded his daughter.

“Dad, NYU is a great school as well; I’m going to hear back from Columbia soon as well to see if I still have a chance. Besides, divorce lawyer is a serious profession,” Anne argued.

“Why do you want to be a divorce lawyer anyway?” Richard asked.

Now Anne felt uncomfortable. It seemed as if Richard and her Dad, the two Richards, were standing on the same side against her.

“Because I have seen and read about women who stuck in unhappy marriages with no one else to turn to. Marriage, when you don’t see it work, get out of it! You can’t pray that tomorrow things can become better and the abusive significant other can change—“

“There is this thing called marriage counseling,” Richard said.

“Only works for couples who are having differences, not for couples who are in an abusive relationship. When two people aren’t suit for each other, then it’s better to leave on amicable terms rather than moving further down the destructive road.”

“So in your perspective, 75% of married couples should get divorced?” Richard asked.

“Do you even have the data to prove that 75% of American couples are moving down to the destructive path with each other?” Anne questioned. “Sometimes life is unfair and two people may get together under the best circumstances but leave each other in the saddest circumstances. Like Lindy Chamberlain, I’m sure that she loved her husband and they have children; until that very year when the dingo took her baby and she was accused of murder. She was cleared of the charges but her marriage to her first husband was finished. Neither was at fault, but for them at that point, staying together is too painful.”

“Well, I disagree. Sometimes bad things can help a couple becoming stronger together. I know a couple, they have fertility issues and only have one son. That boy died very suddenly from cancer or some horrible fatal disease. The couple was driven apart since then and the man supposedly had an affair with another woman while still married. Then the woman is diagnosed with uterine cancer and only had a few months to live. They were filing for divorce but both changed their minds in the last minutes and stayed together till the end. My point is that not always divorce is the best solution.”

“Then my point is that divorce may not always be the best solution, but it is the best solution under some circumstances. And it is a choice that women can make for themselves! If your husband insists that you stay at home and don’t work and you don’t like that, then leave him!”

“Do you know how painful divorce can be?” Richard argued back. “Two people fell in love and had this wonderful history together. Whatever happened, they might just well tell themselves that their choice is worth all the pain.”

“I do know that—“

“Oh really? You are advertising divorce like it is a new fashion trend. ‘All the ladies, let’s get divorced!’”

“That’s not true! I’m merely standing up for women who could’ve had a better life if they are away from the ones who aren’t right for them!”

“What about men? There are women who are just as abusive—“

“Okay, Mr. York, you can call me when you got beat up by your spouse and crawl to me naked!”

“You don’t even need to think about that because I know how to tame my spouse!”

The two argued back and forth and completely forgot that Richard Neville was sitting between them.

“I don’t know who would even want to marry you Richard York! You may be excelled in all areas, but you are a failure in the field of marriage!”

“Says who? Says someone who cannot even boil a chicken! Very soon after your marriage, your husband would file for an annulment saying that you are abusing him with the food you are making—lettuce and onion with water every single day!”

“At least I have a better temper! You yell at people in the public and your attitude goes from hot to cold, hot to cold, hot to cold! One day you’re mean to me, then you love me, then you’re mean to me again. You should appear in Katy Perry’s music video!”

“That's because you are driving me crazy! You make the strangest troubles that require others to fix it. Ever since you lived with me, I fixed countless problems you caused!”

“Name one!”

“You burned the chicken,” Richard counted with his finger. “You drank beer in front my friends without wearing your pants! You taped over my soccer games with your shows—“

“How would you know it was me?”

“Because instead of my game, it was that guy from _Saved by the Bell_ hosting some shows!”

“Oh I guess it was me,” Anne snorted.

“You navigated me to the wrong direction and thus we were late to Princeton; you went with that Edward Lancaster and Margaret Anjou after they proved themselves to be psychos—“

“Okay! I said name one! You are not an easy person to live with either!” Anne pointed at him. "You bossed me around like I cannot do anything right on my own. I do things right, just not all the time!”

“Why do I need to explain it again, again, and again?” Richard said in frustration. “Every time I do things to protect you and save you, you always twist it into something else. I have done all these things because I love you!”

“Oh really? You have a strange way showing it!”

The two argued back and forth until Richard Neville spoke up.

“Check please!” Richard Neville gestured to the waiter. “That was some very interesting information from the two of you in 60 seconds. How long have you two been together?”

***

Leaving the Indian restaurant, Richard Neville turned to the two of them.

“Anne, why don’t you go with Richard? I’m sure you might have something left at his place,” he smiled.

“Yeah, sure,” Anne said.

Anne followed Richard to his car. The two of them were silent all the way.

When they arrived, Richard pulled the key out of the ignition. His hand rested on Anne’s.

Anne did not pull away.

“Come, let’s go,” Richard said.

Soon, it started to rain again.

Once they entered the house, Richard threw his arms around her and kissed her passionately.

“Richard—“ Anne pulled away for breathe.

Richard’s lips were on hers again. A moment later, he unbuttoned his dress shirt, revealing his bare chest. He pressed Anne against his chest. “My heart is here, can you feel it? It is yours, never been anyone else’s.”

“We are a weird couple, aren’t we,” Anne muttered. “We argue, we fight, we hurt each other, and we got our tempers. But we can never give our hearts to anyone else.”

“You’re stuck with me,” Richard murmured while stroking her hair. “Why don’t we go make up the time we lost?”

Anne nodded against his chest.

Richard carried her to upstairs.

***

After all the passionate love-making, Anne snuggled against Richard. She was rather quiet this time.

“What’s on your mind?” Richard asked, kissing her forehead.

“You,” she muttered. “I don’t get you, Richard. You say that you love me, but when my Dad told you not to see me, you broke away like it never was. Now that my Dad gave you his approval, you come back to me.”

Richard let out a sigh. “I know that I’ve hurt you, but it wasn’t easy for me either. You are my heart Anne, but I cannot let you live with a broken family. I lost two people I love and I wasn’t by their side when they passed. What your Dad told me, it triggered my worst fear. And I don’t want you fight with your Dad over me. What you expect me to do? Give you a dagger and play Romeo and Juliet? Runaway together with little money? I can’t put you through that.”

“So what is my Dad never gives his approval?”

“Then I will wait until we are both in a situation when we can support ourselves. I am not convinced that I cannot change your Dad’s mind either,” Richard said. “I want us to be happy together; maybe somewhere in the future, we get married, have our kids. During holidays, we take our kids to grandparents. Everyone is happy.”

"Why were you so cold to me this morning?" Anne asked. "You are like this nasty football coach who was about to smack me."

"That is to make you appear serious at the court," Richard explained. "Court cases are not laughing matters, Anne."

Anne said nothing more. Her hand joined his, and then she realized she was still wearing his class ring. “I should give this back to you.”

“No, wear it.” Richard took out a small rubber band from the drawer of his nightstand. He tied the rubber band to the ring and placed the ring on Anne’s left hand’s middle finger.

Anne held him tighter.

“I have something for you,” she whispered to him.

“What is it?”

Anne climbed out of the bed and went to her purse. She took out a book and handed it to Richard. It was novel _Sunne in Splendour_ by Sharon Kay Penman.

“I have this book too, but never finished it. I used it to measure my wait time at Dr. Tudor’s. Then that day when you found me at Barnes and Nobles, you told me that you are looking for this book. Sharon Kay Penman did release a new version with her new foreword relating to the discovery of Richard III’s skeleton. I guess she made the wrong guess on the origin of that King’s deformity. Anyway, I asked a classmate to get one for me with the author signed it. She got it for me two days ago and gave me after class.”

Touched, Richard pulled her into his arms and opened the book. It was indeed signed by Sharon Kay Penman.

Lying against his chest, Anne muttered, “I read the last portion of the book, it was really sad. Richard III was nothing like how William Shakespeare described. His wife was sick with TB but he stayed by her bedside till the end, even though he was King with duties and facing invasions. Had they been alive today, they’d probably have a happy ending. There’s a cure for TB now.”

“And for sclerosis,” he added. “You know, that Queen Anne of Great Britain, she wasn’t really that simple-minded as I thought. She had her share of intelligence. Her story was sad too. Can you imagine? Seventeen pregnancies.”

“You’re joking!” Anne said in disbelief. “Seventeen times?”

“Had she been alive today, I guess she’d be this heavy set woman operating a furniture business with her husband selling wine bottles.”

“And King Richard would probably be this district attorney or politician.”

“And no one is naked,” Richard joked.

Anne kissed him deeply. “I’m so happy that we are here now, just you and I in our palace. And we got on each other’s nerve, learned each other more, and we got even with our deals—“

“No we haven’t,” Richard interrupted.

“What?” Anne’s eyes narrowed. “You helped me with my case, and I do something for you. Remember? You want me back and here I am!”

“No way,” Richard laughed. “Having you back in exchange of a $5,000 lawsuit? Anne, my dear heart, you worth way more than that!”

“So, what do you want me to do for you then?” Anne whispered seductively in his ear.

“Well, as I told you already, I missed my senior prom. Since your senior prom is coming up, I want you to take me as your date.”

“What?” Anne sat up. “Richard, you promised me that your requests will not cost me anything. I don’t even have a dress or an appointment made at the salon. It’s too late now—“

“Liz is a former fashion designer and she still has her collection.”

“But she’s much taller and bigger than me!”

“I already gave her your measures.”

“When did you take my measures?”

“After all these times your body in my arms, I think I know your measure better than God!”

“And hair and make-up—“

“Liz will take care that too. Your sister agreed to help you as well.”

“Okay, so we can get ready but what about the seats. I mean, I told everyone I’m not coming—“

“Really? I believe your friend Veronica can confirm that she has a seat saved for you and a possible date!”

“How did you know that?”

“She told me.”

“That traitor!” Anne hissed.

“So how about it? You and me to senior prom.”

“But Richard, this is high school prom. You are graduating from college and everyone there hasn't even started college.”

“I don’t mind, as long as I’m with you.” Richard sat up and placed a finger against her lips. “Not another word, sweetheart. We had a verbal agreement with Ed as witness. It’s going to happen.”

"Even on the risk of seeing me crowned with Edward Lancaster?"

"That is not going to happen," Richard said. "I don't believe anyone would want to vote for him."

"But-"

"No but, I'm picking you up this Saturday at noon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter too.


	21. The Prom Night

Anne checked her phone and then looked out the window, again and again.

Both of her parents noticed her odd behavior.

“Is everything okay Anne?” Her mother asked.

“Everything is fine,” Anne said not too convincingly. She then turned to her Father and asked, “Dad, can I consult you on some legal issues?”

“What did you do now?” Richard Neville asked.

“Nothing, I’m not in trouble!” Anne insisted. “But let’s say, two people made an agreement without signing a contract, should that agreement be honored? Can one of them change his or her mind and back out of it?”

“If you acknowledge that agreement, Anne, then you should honor it; signed contract or no signed contract,” Richard Neville told her. “Why? Is it Edward Lancaster again?”

“No, it’s not him,” Anne muttered. “But if that agreement turned out to be very unfair and emotional disturbing to one party, can that party back out?”

“Then that party should’ve thought more carefully before agreeing to it.”

“But at that time, that party had no other choice but to agree.”

“Then that party should honor that agreement more than anything,” Richard Neville said. “Everything has a price. For whatever reason that party succumbed to that agreement, he or she should pay the price due to that reason. Now Anne, what happened?”

Anne let out a sigh, “Richard acted as my legal advisor on the condition of me doing something for him in return. I agreed, only did not expect he to ask me to take him to my senior prom. I already told people that I’m not coming and I’m not comfortable getting up on that stage as prom queen; as president of prom committee, I have to get on that stage to make a speech too. Richard spoke to Veronica behind my back and told her that I’m going to the prom with him. This is outrageous!”

“How are you going to get dressed and ready for the prom?” Ann Beauchamp asked.

“Richard said that Liz and Izzy got it covered for me! He set me up!”

Right after finished her last word, the doorbell rang.

Her phone rang as well.

“Dad, it’s Richard! Go and talk some senses to him!” Anne begged.

Richard Neville refused to move.

“Dad! Do something!”

“No Anne, you are the one who should do something! Go and open the door for him!” Richard Neville lectured.

“What? Dad, you are the one who told me that he is a self-centered jerkass whom I should not see!”

“However, I changed my mind after seeing how much he cared for you and how much he has done for you! No one is perfect. Since you chose him like Izzy chose George, I chose to accept.”

“How can you allow him to do this to me?”

“How can you turn back on someone who helped you when you were in need?” Richard Neville showed his disapproval. “Richard helped you not once, but twice! When our house fell into the sinkhole, he was the one who took you in; when you got into trouble with that Edward Lancaster, he coached you to win that case. And I am sure there were so many other times he took care of you and saved you based on that conversation you had with him at lunch.”

“Dad, relationships should be about love and emotions, not about business and legal agreements!”

“Wrong!” Richard Neville objected. “Marriage is a legal contract itself! And relationship is all about compromises and agreements. When I proposed to your mother, your Beauchamp grandparents refused unless I promised to afford your mother and her family a vacation to Bahamas for the first five years!”

“Which you failed,” Ann Beauchamp teased.

“I did not!”

“Yes you did. You took us to Bermuda instead!”

“The cruise ship passed Bahamas! It counts!” Richard Neville turned back to Anne. “You should go to senior prom and have fun. And I trust you with Richard. Now go open the door for him.”

Anne refused to move, but it was futile anyway. Ann Beauchamp already brought Richard in.

“Richard, Anne told me that you are taking her to the prom,” Richard Neville greeted him warmly.

“I will bring her back by—“ Richard said.

“No, don’t even bother. Bring her back whenever you like,” Richard Neville smiled. “Now, Anne, go and have the most wonderful time of your life. Remember, take pictures!”

Shaking his head, Richard Neville mumbled, “One daughter is getting married and another is going to her senior prom. I am getting old…”

***

Richard brought Anne to Ed’s house.

Cecily was in front of the large TV screen, watching the movie _Grease_. She followed Olivia Newton-John’s dance steps from the prom scene. She was excited to see Anne.

“Come Anne!” She took her hand and led her to Liz’s master bedroom where she had her dresses laid out. Soon Izzy arrived too with her huge make-up kit. Tom Grey, Liz’s thirteen year-old son from her previous marriage, acted as his mother’s assistant with his threads, scissors, and needles.

Ed took Richard for his tux.

Anne stood as Liz helped her trying on the dresses. There was a gold one; a green one; a blue one; a brown one; and a black one.

“I like the blue one,” Anne suggested. The dress she chose was a bright blue dress, low cut; the color fits well with her skin tone and reflects her slenderness.

Liz looked at her and replied, “You don’t want the gold one? Since you are to be queen, you might just well dress as one.”

“I don’t even know if I’m going to win,” Anne said.

“I remember when I went to the prom, I was not even nominated,” Liz reminisced. “Tom’s father was my prom date and he made my dress.”

“Did he?” Izzy commented. “My senior prom, it was unfortunately cancelled.”

“Why?” Liz asked.

Izzy answered as she applied foundation to Anne’s face. “A group of football players got caught drinking on school ground two days before the prom. So it did not happen.”

“So Anne, is that Edward Lancaster going?” Liz asked as she helped Anne into the gold dress.

“I don’t know; I doubt it,” Anne replied. “This dress is pretty, but I still prefer the blue one.”

“If you insist,” Liz said as she helped Anne change. “Now for your shoes…”

She went into her gigantic closet and fished a pair of aquamarine shoes. By first glance, they resembled Cinderella’s glass shoes.

They fit well with the dress.

“Anne, why did you have your hair cut?” Izzy asked not too happily. “We could’ve done a lot more with your longer hair.”

“My hair is not that short; it’s still halfway down to my back!”

“So, an updo or leave it down?” Izzy asked Liz.

“I really like to have it curled and do a half up and half down.”

“That works!” Izzy retrieved her hair iron and mousse.

“You need to tone down your eye shadows a little,” Liz commented.

“No, her eyes are perfect as they are!” Izzy insisted.

The two bickered back and forth with Anne tried to stop their argument. Cecily walked in while the three were bickering.

“My oh my,” Cecily clapped her hands. “Anne, you look beautiful.”

She brought a bottle of champagne and four tulip glasses.

“I can’t wait to see that crown on your head!” Cecily said.

“I don’t think I’m going to win,” Anne said.

“You don’t think or you don’t want to?” Liz questioned. “Did you watch _Carrie_ last night?” She was obviously referring to that scene when Carrie was covered with pig’s blood after crowned prom queen.

“No, I did not but thanks for reminding me of it,” Anne grumped.

“Anne, you worry too much. Just think how wonderful of a night this will be!” Cecily encouraged her to think more positively. "Now let's drink!"

***

Finally, after waiting for hours, Richard watched as Anne walked downstairs in a beautiful light blue dress with her hair curled half-up and half-down. She looked beautiful.

He was in his tux.

“Uncle Richard, you look like 007!” Liz and Ed’s oldest daughter Bess laughed.

“Thank you Bess,” Richard replied.

He walked to Anne and presented his white corsage. Anne uneasily allowed him to place it on her wrist and took his arm.

“Wait!” Cecily ran out with a camera. “Stand there and smile!”

Anne and Richard stood, arm in arm, and Cecily took one picture after another.

“Lovely, just lovely,” Cecily murmured to herself. “I’ve done this for Ed, George, and now for you, Richard.”

She then stopped. Obviously, she remembered Edmund. The poor boy was only sixteen when he died from that accident.

“Go and have a good time,” she managed to say.

Anne nodded and looked at Liz and Izzy gratefully.

***

Anne’s arrival attracted much attention. Many were happy that she could come. And a lot of them were more interested in her date, Richard.

“Wow, he’s hot!”

“He’s driving a BMW!”

“Where does he go to school?”

“I heard that he beat up Edward Lancaster after he tried to mess up with Anne.”

“Is it me or he looks a lot like that guy from _Pirates of Caribbean_?”

Anne and Richard sat in Veronica and her boyfriend and some other students. Richard sat next to Anne, hardly spoke. Soon, he understood what Anne meant when she told him that he is graduating college while all kids there haven’t even started college.

Teenagers were immature and talkative.

But Anne was different for some reasons.

After the meal, it was the dance music. Anne leaned over and whispered, “Can we dance during slower music?”

Holding her hand, Richard whispered back, “I more than happily to agree.”

After everyone else left to dance, Anne sat alone with Richard. She constantly looked at the stage and the ceiling, as if there was really a bucket of blood.

“Relax,” Richard read her mind. “No one is that crazy to do such a thing.”

“Well at least, I’m happy that Edward is not here.”

“Yes he is,” Richard said.

“What? I haven’t seen him.”

“That’s because he is sitting next to his mother,” Richard said.

Anne looked around. Richard was right. Edward Lancaster sat next to his mother at the faculty table with the teachers who came to chaperone.

She held on to Richard tighter. “Maybe we should leave.”

“Anne, listen to me,” Richard held on shoulders. “Everything is going to be fine. Soon, you will go up there and give your speech. You done a wonderful job to make this prom happen. If anyone dares to try anything on you, he will have to answer to me.”

He kissed her.

Then music slowed down. “You like to dance?”

Anne and Richard went to the dance floor. “I never danced with anyone before,” she whispered to him.

“First relax and put your hand in mine. Now trust me and follow my lead,” Richard taught her.

Anne rested her head against his shoulder. Slowly, she hummed along with the song. After the song was over, everyone clapped. When Anne looked up, she found Edward Lancaster walking towards her.

One of his hands was reaching under his tux jacket.

Anne shivered.

Was he…pulling out a weapon?

Boy, this reminded her so much of that final scene from _Moulin Rouge_.

“Richard,” Edward Lancaster said. He reached out his hand for a shake. “Congratulations, you are dating a wonderful girl. Just don’t let her injured or hurt or get sick, or I will find you.”

Reluctantly, Richard shook his hand. Edward held on to his hand for a long time, much longer than Anne and Richard preferred.

Finally, Edward let go and looked at Anne. “If we win, just smile for the picture. I really want this night to be special for my mom.”

With that said, he walked away.

After the applause ended, Anne walked towards the stage to make her speech. Richard encouragingly gave her a push. Her speech was short but warm and generous. Everyone applauded in appreciation.

And there was no bucket of blood.

***

A half hour later, the winner of prom king and queen were ready to be announced. Anne clutched her hand in Richard’s.

“The prom king is—“

The drum roll played in the background.

“Edward Lancaster!”

The applause was weak. Anne held on to Richard tighter.

_How did it happen?_

Later it turned out that since he paid each guy $20 to not to go with Anne, the guys whom he paid decided to vote for him in return. With male students accounted for 50% of student body, Edward naturally won.

“Now every king needs a queen. The winner is—“

Drum roll again.

“Anne Stuart!”

Anne let out a sigh of relief. Anne Stuart, a seventeen year-old girl who was somewhat overweight, stepped on to the stage to accept her crown.

Richard rubbed her back while Anne shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry you are not bedding a queen tonight,” she whispered to him.

“You are more than a queen to me,” Richard whispered back.

***

The prom was over. After everyone left, Richard chose to stay behind with Anne. He turned the music on from his IPhone. It was tango.

He walked to Anne and bowed.

Anne laughed. She had no idea what to do, but she followed Richard’s lead. She happily allowed Richard to swing her around.

This was much better than winning prom queen.

Only it was cut short with Richard’s sudden groan.

“What’s the matter?” Anne asked with concern.

“I…I think I sprained my ankle,” Richard said in pain, hopping on one foot and leaning on Anne. “Maybe I should call Ed.”

“No,” Anne insisted. “I’ll drive and take you to a hospital.”

“No—“

“Yes,” Anne placed a finger to his lips. “It’s going to happen. You are there for me and I’m there for you. You are my King Richard and I’m your Queen Anne.”

With that said, Anne assisted Richard to his car. She had him sit in the passenger’s side while she took the driver’s seat. After adjusting the seat and the mirror, and double checked Richard’s seat belt, she started the car and drove.

“I’m so happy that Judge Somerset gave me back my license,” she said happily. “You drove me so many times, now it’s my turn to drive you.”

“Anne, stop talking and please focus on the road,” Richard said.

“I am!”

“Do you know where to go?”

“You have a GPS, right? Look for a hospital nearby and you be the navigator.”

Soon, they were on their way to Middleham Medical Center’s Urgent Care Center. But before getting there, a cop followed Richard’s BMW with his lights flashing. Quickly, Anne pulled over.

“What did I do now?” She asked in confusion as she lowered her window. “I wasn’t speeding.”

The cop came to her window. “Ma’am your headlights were off. Do you know how dangerous it is to drive without headlight?”

“Oh,” Anne now realized it. “I’m sorry. But look, it’s on now!”

“Can I see your driver’s license and car registration?”

Wordlessly, she handed the cop her driver’s license.

After the cop took her license and went back to his patrol car, Richard took Anne’s hand and said half-jokingly, “Anne, sweetheart, I love you to death. I do see that we get married one day and live together until we are old and grey. But let’s hope that you die first and I follow soon after, because I really can’t convince myself what you’d do without me!”

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the story now ends.
> 
> The elements of "The Frog Prince" are the following:
> 
> Anne found Richard unbearable and annoying until their kiss, which thereafter she found him irresistible (frog to prince).
> 
> Richard lived like a "prince" with Anne as his "employee"; Veronica and Anne called him ugly as a "frog".
> 
> Richard helped Anne to win against Margaret Anjou in court in exchange for her to take him to the prom as the frog retrieved the princess's golden ball in exchange for her to dine with him and allow him to sleep in her bed.
> 
> I hope you like this.
> 
> My next "Anne and Richard Inspired by Fairy Tale" fic will be inspired by "Sleeping Beauty".


End file.
